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."
Round And Round
J.B. Lenoir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dorment au fond de la douve profonde
Oubliés depuis plus de 1 000 ans
Souvenirs engloutis
Rêves de l'ancien temps
De Chevalerie
Douve profonde
Coule l'onde
Dans l'eau qui gronde et va s'élever
La vieille Table Ronde
Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde
Dorment au fond de la douve profonde
Chevauchant en rêve d'aventure
Servent le roi Arthur
Qui cherche l'idéal
Et le saint Graal
Douve profonde
Coule l'onde
Tourne ma main de fée
Dans l'eau qui gronde et va s'élever
La vieille Table Ronde
The lyrics of the song Round and Round by J.B. Lenoir paint a picture of a relationship that has lost its balance and is stuck in a never-ending cycle of ups and downs. The song questions how the relationship got to this place and why it has to be so complicated. It points out that always trying to make up after fighting is overrated and that the highs and lows of the relationship keep it going round and round in circles. There is a sense that they have lost their way and can't seem to move forward with the constant drama and shifting of blame. The repetition of the phrase "round and round" reinforces the cyclical nature of their relationship, but also highlights the frustration and futility of their situation.
The lyrics don't offer a straightforward answer to the questions posed, but rather highlight the complexities and difficulties of relationships. The song could be interpreted as a plea to break the cycle and find a way out of the endless round and round that often characterizes troubled relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
How Did It Happen
I am confused as to how it came to be this way
How Did Come To This
I am questioning how things have escalated to this point
We Lost Our Balance
We have become unsteady and unstable in our relationship or situation
So Easily
We were not able to sustain balance for long and it was fragile, easily broken
Why Do We Have To Complicate It
I am wondering why we make things more complex than they need to be
Fight To Make Up So Overrated
Our constant fights and making up is not as meaningful as we think it is
Were High N Low Were Up N Down
Our emotions and situation fluctuate between highs and lows, ups and downs
Yeah
An interjection to emphasize the previous statement
We Go Round N Round
We are stuck in a cycle, repeating the same patterns
N Round N Round
Repeating the same patterns over and over again
There Always Something
There is always something that causes issues and problems
Ohh There Always Something
Expressing frustration at the constant presence of issues
We Just Keep Running In Circles
We are stuck in a cycle, not making any progress
There’s No Move Forward
We are not making progress, we are stagnant
If We Keep Playing Games
If we continue to engage in drama and manipulation
So Lets Cool The Drama And Stop Shifting Blame
We should stop playing games and take responsibility for our actions to move forward
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Julien Sevrin D'Ieteren, Philippe de Villiers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind