J. B. Lenoir /ləˈnɔːr/ (Monticello, Mississippi, March 5, 1929 – Urbana, I… Read Full Bio ↴J. B. Lenoir /ləˈnɔːr/ (Monticello, Mississippi, March 5, 1929 – Urbana, Illinois, April 29, 1967) was an African American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, active in the 1950s and 1960s Chicago blues scene.
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."

I Feel So Good
J.B. Lenoir Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well I feel so good I don't know what to do
Yeah I feel so good I don't know what to do
Well I feel so good I feel like I wanna play with you

Well I feel so good I feel like banging my box
Well I feel so good I feel like banging my box
If I had me one more shot I believe I'd blow my natural top

I'm so glad I know what's on your mind
I'm so glad I know what's on your mind
I'm so glad I know what's on your mind
I'm so glad I know what's on your mind

I'm so glad, glad, glad, glad, glad
I'm so glad I know what's on your mind

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to J.B. Lenoir's "I Feel So Good" are a declaration of joy and excitement. The opening line, "Well I feel so good I don't know what to do," sets the tone for the song, expressing a sense of elation that is almost overwhelming. The repetition of this line throughout the song reinforces the idea that the singer is experiencing something truly wonderful, and is almost at a loss for words to describe it.

The next two lines, "Well I feel so good I feel like I wanna play with you," suggest that the singer's joy is linked to a specific person. The use of the word "play" adds a sense of playfulness and good humor to the song, and implies a certain level of physical intimacy or sexual tension between the two people.

The third and fourth lines, "Well I feel so good I feel like banging my box / If I had me one more shot I believe I'd blow my natural top," are a bit more obscure in meaning. The phrase "banging my box" is likely a reference to playing the guitar (a box-shaped instrument), and suggests that the singer is so excited that he wants to play his music as passionately as possible. The phrase "blow my natural top" is perhaps an even more vivid expression of this sense of excitement and exuberance.

The final lines of the song, "I'm so glad I know what's on your mind / I'm so glad, glad, glad, glad, glad / I'm so glad I know what's on your mind," again suggest that the singer's joy is linked to another person. The repetition of the word "glad" emphasizes the importance of this connection, and implies that the singer has a deep sense of satisfaction and contentment in knowing what the other person is thinking.

Overall, "I Feel So Good" is a song about the power of joy and connection. Through its lively, playful lyrics and upbeat tempo, it conveys a sense of celebration and exuberance that is deeply infectious.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I feel so good I don't know what to do
I am overwhelmed with positive emotions, feeling incredibly elated and energetic, to the extent that I don't know how to channel this burst of excitement.

Yeah I feel so good I don't know what to do
I am experiencing pure joy, so much so that I am at a loss for what activity to pursue next.

Well I feel so good I feel like I wanna play with you
I am in such a high-spirited state that I feel the urge to engage in playful interaction with another person.

Well I feel so good I feel like banging my box
I am so full of exuberance that I feel like hitting my guitar with great force, making an explosive and powerful sound.

If I had me one more shot I believe I'd blow my natural top
If I were to experience any more intense feelings of happiness, I might literally explode with excitement and enthusiasm.

I'm so glad I know what's on your mind
I am overjoyed to understand your thoughts and feelings, as it allows me to feel a deeper connection and sense of understanding with you.

I'm so glad, glad, glad, glad, glad
I am incredibly happy and appreciative, expressing my gratitude for the positive emotions I feel and the understanding I have gained.

Contributed by Madison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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