Lenoir's guitar-playing father introduced him to the music of Blind Lemon Jefferson, whose music became a major influence. During the early 1940s, Lenoir worked with blues artists Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James in New Orleans. Lenoir would eventually find musical influence in Arthur Crudup and Lightnin' Hopkins.
In 1949, he moved to Chicago and Big Bill Broonzy helped introduce him to the local blues community. He began to perform at local nightclubs with musicians such as Memphis Minnie, Big Maceo Merriweather, and Muddy Waters, and became an important part of the city's blues scene. He began recording in 1951 the J.O.B. and Chess Records labels. His recording of "Korea Blues" was licensed to and released by Chess, as having been performed by 'J. B. and his Bayou Boys'. His band included pianist Sunnyland Slim, guitarist Leroy Foster, and drummer Alfred Wallace.
During the 1950s Lenoir recorded on various record labels in the Chicago area including J.O.B., Chess, Parrot, and Checker. His more successful songs included "Let's Roll", "The Mojo" featuring saxophonist J. T. Brown, and the controversial "Eisenhower Blues" which his record company, Parrot, forced him to re-record as "Tax Paying Blues."
Lenoir was known in the 1950s for his showmanship - in particular his zebra-patterned costumes - and his high-pitched vocals. He became an influential electric guitarist and songwriter, and his penchant for social commentary distinguished him from many other bluesmen of the time. His most commercially successful and enduring release was "Mamma Talk To Your Daughter", recorded for Parrot in 1954 which reached #11 on the Billboard R&B chart and was later recorded by many other blues and rock musicians. In the later 1950s (recording on the Checker label), he wrote several more blues standards including; "Don't Dog Your Woman", and "Don't Touch My Head!!!" (1956).
In 1963, Lenoir recorded for USA Records as 'J. B. Lenoir and his African Hunch Rhythm', developing an interest in African percussion. However, he struggled to work as a professional musician and for a time took menial jobs, including working in the kitchen at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Lenoir was rediscovered by Willie Dixon, who recorded him with drummer Fred Below on the albums Alabama Blues and Down In Mississippi (inspired by the Civil Rights and Free Speech movements). Lenoir toured Europe, and performed in 1965 with the American Folk Blues Festival in the United Kingdom.
Lenoir's work had direct political content relating to racism and the Vietnam War.
"Alabama Blues"
“I never will go back to Alabama, that is not the place for me,
I never will go back to Alabama, that is not the place for me,
You know they killed my sister and my brother,
And the whole world let them peoples go down there free.”
He died on April 29, 1967 in Urbana, Illinois, aged 38, from a heart attack related to injuries he suffered in a car accident three weeks earlier.
His death was lamented by John Mayall in the songs, "I'm Gonna Fight for You, J.B." and "Death of J. B. Lenoir".
The 2003 documentary film The Soul of a Man, directed by Wim Wenders as the second instalment of Martin Scorsese's series The Blues, explored Lenoir's career, together with those of Skip James and Blind Willie Johnson.
In 2011, Lenoir was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.
Although his name is sometimes mispronounced like the French "lan WAH", Lenoir himself pronounced his name a "la NOR". The initials "J.B." had no specific meaning; his given name was simply "J.B."
Good Looking Woman
J.B. Lenoir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, she's a fine lookin' woman, lives way across the town
Whenever i see that woman
My love comes tumbling down
She's a fine lookin' woman and she soothes my worried soul
She's a fine lookin' woman and she soothes my worried soul
Well, she put the lights out on me
She's a fine lookin' woman and she shakes all the men
Yeah, fine lookin' woman and the meat shakes on the bone
Well, every time she shakes mine
Then all my body's gone
J.B. Lenoir's song "Good Looking Woman" is a classic blues tune about a woman who lives far away from the singer. He has fallen in love with her and every time he lays eyes on her, he feels as though his heart is tumbling down. He describes this woman as fine looking throughout the song, and he admits that although she lives so far away, she still manages to soothe his soul. The singer confesses that he lost all his gold when she put the lights out on him. This could be a metaphor for how he gave up everything, including his material possessions, in pursuit of her. He then goes on to describe how the woman shakes all the men and how every time she shakes him, his entire body goes weak.
At its core, the song is about the power of a woman's beauty on a man's heart and soul. J.B. Lenoir's lyrics paint a vivid picture of a woman who is so beautiful that she can make a man lose all his riches and forget everything else. She has the power to make a man fall completely in love with her, despite the distance between them.
Overall, "Good Looking Woman" is a classic blues tune that celebrates the power of a woman's beauty. It is a song that speaks to the heart and soul of anyone who has ever been in love with someone who lives far away.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a fine lookin' woman, lives way across the town
I have a beautiful woman, but she lives far away from me.
Yes, she's a fine lookin' woman, lives way across the town
She's truly beautiful and she lives just too far from me.
Whenever i see that woman My love comes tumbling down
Every time I see her, my heart starts beating faster and I feel overwhelmed with love.
She's a fine lookin' woman and she soothes my worried soul
Just her presence gives me a great sense of comfort and reassurance.
Well, she put the lights out on me Then i gave up all my gold
Once I saw her, I became so enamored with her that I lost all sense of myself and would do anything for her.
She's a fine lookin' woman and she shakes all the men
She's so beautiful that she has a powerful effect on all the men who see her.
Yeah, fine lookin' woman and the meat shakes on the bone
She's so beautiful that even the meat on my bones begins to shake at the very sight of her.
Well, every time she shakes mine Then all my body's gone
Whenever she looks at me and smiles or interacts with me, I become so overwhelmed with passion that I feel as if all of my body's strength and energy have left me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RILEY B. KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind