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."
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."
Louise
J.B. Lenoir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
She said
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You causing me stress
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
She had me feeling like Issa
Why I'm insecure when I beast 'em
She don't give me that Aretha
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
I play my role
Don't go out of bounds
CP3
But it's old going 'round and 'round
DVD
Why you stay coming with the loud
CBD
Got me standing knee deep
Easy
Home feeling like a war zone
Iraq
I'll face the waves on my own
Kayak
I'll see clearer after you're gone
Imax
You had me sidetracked
Facts
She said
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You causing me stress
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
If you want 'em go and get 'em
Take 'em all
I know who I'm hitting for the rebound
You don't like me calling you out
But if you wanna play I'll be taking you down down
I don't know why we fight like this
We push and we pull every shot and we miss
I'm not trying to bruise your ego
But you're taking one too many free throws
Just a reminder
You could do better
Not gonna settle for a man
Who's not a perfect ten
Or an MVP
She said
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You causing me stress
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
What you mean
I'm always in the pocket
That's why the diamonds on my wrist
Thang tiktok'n
The filets on my plate gonna keep poppin'
So who ain't got it like that
Come on girl stop it
I see the games you try to play you up on the confidence
But I don't need the salt
Keep the condiments
I meditated in some places that's astonishing
My mind right baby
What the problem is
No matter what you saying
Girl the image won't change
If you feelin' how you feelin'
You can dip
It's ok
See I honor who I am and I don't switch up no days
So who really losing if they don't stay
She said
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You causing me stress
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
She had me feeling like Issa
Why I'm insecure when I beast 'em
She don't give me that Aretha
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
I play my role
Don't go out of bounds
CP3
But it's old going 'round and 'round
DVD
Why you stay coming with the loud
CBD
Got me standing knee deep
Easy
Home feeling like a war zone
Iraq
I'll face the waves on my own
Kayak
I'll see clearer after you're gone
Imax
You had me sidetracked
Facts
She said
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You causing me stress
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
If you want 'em go and get 'em
Take 'em all
I know who I'm hitting for the rebound
You don't like me calling you out
But if you wanna play I'll be taking you down down
I don't know why we fight like this
We push and we pull every shot and we miss
I'm not trying to bruise your ego
But you're taking one too many free throws
Just a reminder
You could do better
Not gonna settle for a man
Who's not a perfect ten
Or an MVP
She said
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You causing me stress
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
What you mean
I'm always in the pocket
That's why the diamonds on my wrist
Thang tiktok'n
The filets on my plate gonna keep poppin'
So who ain't got it like that
Come on girl stop it
I see the games you try to play you up on the confidence
But I don't need the salt
Keep the condiments
I meditated in some places that's astonishing
My mind right baby
What the problem is
No matter what you saying
Girl the image won't change
If you feelin' how you feelin'
You can dip
It's ok
See I honor who I am and I don't switch up no days
So who really losing if they don't stay
She said
We need a reset
Talking at me like I got a defect
But I ain't missing nothing
Heat check
You need to cut it out baby
C-section
She said
You causing me stress
You just out here playin'
Recess
Other women sayin'
Me next
Cuz I ain't missing nothin'
Heat check yea
It appears that the given lyrics are not in English but rather in Italian. Therefore, I cannot provide an accurate interpretation of the song. However, based on the tone and emotions conveyed through the lyrics, it seems that the song is about a deep and loving relationship between the singer and a pet named Louise. It portrays the singer's immense love and affection for Louise and their bond that is beyond words. The lyrics mention several activities that the two do together, such as taking walks in different weather conditions, sleeping together, and overcoming various obstacles. The singer also reflects on their past and how Louise might have been in a tough situation before finding a loving home with the singer.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: G. Baker, Jawon Corona, Tara Benjamin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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