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."
Move This Rope
J.B. Lenoir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gotta move out of my neighborhood
Hey, I said I'm gonna have to move
I gotta get out of my neighborhood
Because you see
The women they tell lies on me
And the men they just don't mean me
No doggone good
Every time my telephone rings
Some lady trying to play
Some old funny game on me
Every time my telephone rings
Some lady trying to play
Some old funny game on me
And every time my front doorbell rings
Some angry six foot man
With a knife in his hand
They say I'm in love with a woman
That works down at the Chicken Shack
They say Deacon Jones' wife
Gave me a brand new Cadillac
That's why I gotta move
I gotta get out of my neighborhood
I tell you the people
They tell lies on me
Hey, they just don't mean me
No doggone good
My landlady came by my apartment
She came by just to make up my bed
But it took her all night long
Can you imagine what the neighbors said
That's why I gotta move
Hey, I gotta get out
Of my neighborhood
I tell you the people
They tell lies on me
Hey, they just don't mean me
No doggone good
Hey, I gotta move
Hey, I gotta move
I gotta move
I gotta move
Hey, the people, the people
Don't like me here, people
Oh you know they just don't mean me
No doggone good
Nobody loves me but my mother
Sometimes I think
She could be jiving, too
Hey, nobody
Nobody loves me but my mother
And she could be jiving, too
Now I think you know
Why I act funny, baby
Oh when you do the things you do
In the song "Move This Rope" by J.B. Lenoir, the lyrics depict a situation where the singer feels the need to move out of his neighborhood due to the negative experiences he's encountered. He expresses frustration with the people in his neighborhood who spread lies about him and treat him poorly. The women in particular are mentioned as telling lies, while the men are described as not being good to him.
The singer also mentions receiving prank calls from women who play games on him, further adding to his distress. Additionally, every time someone rings his doorbell, he is confronted by an angry man with a knife. These events demonstrate the hostile environment the singer has to deal with.
Rumors about the singer's love life contribute to his decision to move. There are allegations that he is involved with a woman who works at the Chicken Shack and that he has received a Cadillac from Deacon Jones' wife. These rumors likely bring unwanted attention and trouble, further fueling his desire to leave his neighborhood.
The negative perception of the singer within the community is reinforced when his landlady takes a long time to make up his bed, leading the neighbors to gossip about the nature of their interaction. The repeated emphasis on people telling lies about him and not treating him well highlights the alienation and mistrust he feels from those around him.
The final verse suggests that the singer feels unloved and isolated, with the only person he believes truly cares for him being his mother. However, even this relationship is called into question, as the singer wonders if his mother could also be deceiving him. This deep sense of loneliness and suspicion contributes to his peculiar behavior and reactions.
Overall, "Move This Rope" portrays a situation where the singer feels persecuted, misunderstood, and mistreated by the people in his neighborhood, prompting his decision to leave in order to escape the negativity and false accusations that surround him.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I'm gonna have to move, people
I believe I will need to relocate, my fellow individuals
I gotta move out of my neighborhood
I must depart from my current residential area
Hey, I said I'm gonna have to move
Listen, I mentioned that I will have to relocate
I gotta get out of my neighborhood
I need to escape from my vicinity
Because you see
For you to understand
The women they tell lies on me
The ladies fabricate falsehoods about me
And the men they just don't mean me
Moreover, the men have ill intentions towards me
No doggone good
They are truly untrustworthy
Every time my telephone rings
On each occasion when my phone rings
Some lady trying to play
Some woman attempting to deceive
Some old funny game on me
Engaging in some cunning scheme against me
And every time my front doorbell rings
Furthermore, whenever my doorbell chimes
Some angry six foot man
An irate and towering gentleman
With a knife in his hand
Wielding a knife
They say I'm in love with a woman
Others claim I am infatuated with a particular lady
That works down at the Chicken Shack
Who is employed at the Chicken Shack eatery
They say Deacon Jones' wife
They allege that the spouse of Deacon Jones
Gave me a brand new Cadillac
Bestowed upon me a fresh Cadillac automobile
That's why I gotta move
Thus, the reason I must relocate
I gotta get out of my neighborhood
I need to vacate my immediate surroundings
I tell you the people
Let me inform you, the individuals
They tell lies on me
They spread untruths about me
Hey, they just don't mean me
They simply hold ill intentions towards me
My landlady came by my apartment
My landlady visited my residence
She came by just to make up my bed
Her purpose of visit was to tidy up my bed
But it took her all night long
However, it consumed her entire night
Can you imagine what the neighbors said
Could you envision the comments made by the neighbors
Hey, I gotta move
Listen, I have to relocate
Hey, the people, the people
Oh, the people, the people
Don't like me here, people
Do not approve of my presence, people
Oh you know they just don't mean me
Indeed, they simply hold ill intentions towards me
Nobody loves me but my mother
There is nobody who loves me except my mother
Sometimes I think
Occasionally, I believe
She could be jiving, too
Even she could be deceiving me
Hey, nobody
Listen, nobody
Nobody loves me but my mother
There is nobody who loves me except my mother
And she could be jiving, too
Furthermore, she might also be deceiving me
Now I think you know
By now, I believe you comprehend
Why I act funny, baby
The reason behind my peculiar behavior, darling
Oh when you do the things you do
Oh, due to the actions you perform
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Riley B. King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind