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 Want to Go
J.B. Lenoir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And this the way my song go
Everything must be done
Down here on the county farm
Just make me wanna go
Everything must be done
Down on the county farm
Sleeping here behind the wall
Just make me wanna go
(World I don't know
My people in here and I don't care where I go)
Hey there little ol' girl
Sit down on my knee
I just wanna tell you
How you been sending me
Just make me wanna go
Down on the county farm
People, this is a natural fact
Eleven foot cotton sack
Hanging heavy down on my back
Just make me wanna go
The lyrics to JB Lenoir's song "I Want to Go" express the despair and hopelessness felt by those who have been imprisoned or forced to work on county farms in the American South during the period of segregation and Jim Crow laws. JB Lenoir introduces himself as the singer and sets the tone of frustration in the opening lines "And this the way my song go, everything must be done down here on the county farm". He then repeats the refrain "Just make me want to go" to emphasize his desire to escape the oppressive conditions of his imprisonment and farm labor.
Lenoir describes the appalling living and working conditions on the farm, where he is treated like a dog and forced to sleep behind a wall. He is not treated as a human being but as a mere instrument of labor, with no dignity or hope for the future. The eleven-foot cotton sack hanging heavy on his back is a symbol of the back-breaking labor that he and others are forced to endure.
The song is a poignant reminder of the oppression and injustice that African Americans faced during this dark period of American history. It captures the strong desire for freedom and dignity that motivated many people to fight for civil rights and social justice. The song continues to resonate with listeners today, as it speaks to the ongoing struggle for equality and justice in our society.
Line by Line Meaning
My name is JB Lenoir
Introducing himself as the artist
And this the way my song go
Asserting that he is the one creating the song
Everything must be done
Stating that there are certain things that need to be done
Down here on the county farm
Clarifying the specific location where the actions should take place
Just make me wanna go
Expressing frustration and dissatisfaction with the current situation
Everything must be done
Repeating the prior line to further emphasize the urgency
Down on the county farm
Repeating the specific location to reiterate its significance
Sleeping here behind the wall
Contrasting a restricted and undesirable sleeping situation
And being treated just like a dog
Comparing the treatment of humans to that of animals
Just make me wanna go
Reiterating the strong desire to leave
(World I don't know
Interruption in the narrative, possibly indicating confusion or disorientation
My people in here and I don't care where I go)
Separating himself from those he is currently with, and expressing indifference towards his destination
Hey there little ol' girl
Addressing someone in the song
Sit down on my knee
Inviting intimacy and conversation with the addressed person
I just wanna tell you
Preparing to reveal something personal
How you been sending me
Referring to the actions of the addressed person, possibly suggesting a negative impact on him
Just make me wanna go
Linking the addressed person's actions to his desire to leave
Down on the county farm
Reemphasizing the destination
People, this is a natural fact
Making a claim about the situation that cannot be denied
Eleven foot cotton sack
Describing a physically demanding and laborious task
Hanging heavy down on my back
Further expounding on the strenuous nature of the task
Just make me wanna go
Repeating once more the driving desire to leave
Contributed by Gianna P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.