Encouraged by Willis Jackson in whose band he also played bass in the late 50s, McDuff moved to the organ and began to attract the attention of Prestige Records while still with Jackson's group. McDuff soon became a bandleader, leading groups featuring a young George Benson, Red Holloway on saxophone and Joe Dukes on drums.
McDuff recorded many classic albums on Prestige including his debut solo Brother Jack in 1960, The Honeydripper (1961), with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest and guitarist Grant Green, and Brother Jack Meets The Boss (1962), featuring Gene Ammons, and Screamin’ (1962).
After his tenure at Prestige, McDuff joined the Atlantic Records label for a brief period and then in the 70s recorded for Blue Note. To Seek a New Home (1970) was recorded in England with a line-up featuring blues shouter Jimmy Witherspoon and some of Britain's top jazz musicians of the day, including Terry Smith on guitar and Dick Morrissey on tenor sax.
The decreasing interest in jazz and blues patent during the late 70s and 80s meant that many jazz musicians went through a lean time and it wasn't until the late 80s, with The Re-Entry, recorded for the Muse label in 1988, that McDuff once again began a successful period of recordings, initially for Muse, then on the Concord Jazz label from 1991. George Benson appeared on his mentor’s 1992 Colour Me Blue album.
Despite battling health problems, McDuff continued working and recording throughout the eighties and nineties. 'Captain' Jack McDuff, as he later became known, died of heart failure at the age of 74 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Tobacco Road
Jack McDuff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mama died and my daddy got drunk
Left me here to die or grow
In the middle of Tobacco Road
I grew up in a dusty shack
And all I had was a'hangin' on my back
Only you know how I loathe
But it's home
The only life I've ever known
Only you know how I loathe
Tobacco Road
I'm gonna leave and get a job
With the help and the grace from above
Save some money, get rich I know
Bring it back to Tobacco Road
Bring dynamite and a crane
Blow it up, start all over again
Build a town, be proud to show
Give the name Tobacco Road
Cause it's home
The only life I've ever known
I despise you ''cause your filthy
But I love ya, 'cause it's home
The song "Tobacco Road" by Jack McDuff begins with the singer recalling their difficult upbringing. Born in a bunk, their mother died and their father turned to alcohol. The father's neglect left the singer in a precarious situation, to either die or grow up in the middle of Tobacco Road. Throughout their childhood, they resided in a dusty shack with only the bare essentials. As they remember all that they went through, the singer can't help but loathe this place called Tobacco Road, and yet there's still a sense of attachment.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals their plan to leave Tobacco Road and get a job. They are determined to save up, get rich, and return to give back to their community. This is where the singer's love-hate relationship with Tobacco Road becomes more evident. They despise the place because it has been nothing but a constant struggle, but at the same time, it's the only home they have ever known, and they can't bring themselves to abandon it. In the final lines, the singer considers blowing up the place and rebuilding it, but they decide against it. Despite Tobacco Road's griminess, they still feel a sense of pride and love for it.
Overall, the song "Tobacco Road" speaks to the struggles of coming from poverty and the deep sense of belonging one can feel to even the most destitute of places. It's a song about hope, determination, and taking pride in where you come from.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born in a bunk
I entered this world in an overcrowded and poverty-stricken environment
Mama died and my daddy got drunk
After my mother passed away, my father turned to alcohol and neglected his responsibilities towards me
Left me here to die or grow
My father abandoned me in this place, with no clear guidance or direction for my future
In the middle of Tobacco Road
This place is a run-down and impoverished area known as Tobacco Road
I grew up in a dusty shack
I spent my childhood living in a small, run-down and dusty cabin
And all I had was a'hangin' on my back
I didn't own much, all I had to my name were the clothes on my back
Only you know how I loathe
No one else understands how much I despise and abhor this place
This place called Tobacco Road
The area in which I live is infamously known as Tobacco Road
But it's home
Despite everything, this place will always be my home
The only life I've ever known
I have never experienced any other type of lifestyle or environment besides this one
I'm gonna leave and get a job
I plan on leaving this place to find employment elsewhere
With the help and the grace from above
I am counting on divine intervention to help me find my way out of here
Save some money, get rich I know
My goal is to save up enough money to become wealthy and successful
Bring it back to Tobacco Road
I intend to return to Tobacco Road with my newfound fortune
Bring dynamite and a crane
I plan on demolishing the old buildings in this area
Blow it up, start all over again
By doing so, I want to create a new and improved environment in place of the old one
Build a town, be proud to show
I will construct an entirely new town from scratch, of which I will be proud to showcase to others
Give the name Tobacco Road
Despite the negative connotations associated with this name, I will continue to refer to this place as Tobacco Road
I despise you ''cause you're filthy
I hate how rundown and dirty this place is
But I love ya, 'cause it's home
Nevertheless, I am unable to fully let go of my attachment and affection towards Tobacco Road
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN D. LOUDERMILK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind