Blues Run the Game
Jackson C. Frank Lyrics


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Catch a boat to England baby
Maybe to Spain
Wherever I have gone
Wherever I've been and gone
Wherever I have gone
The blues are all the same

Send out for whiskey baby
Send out for gin
Me and room service honey
Me and room service babe
Me and room service
Well we're living a life of sin

When I'm not drinkin' baby
You are on my mind
When I'm not sleepin' honey
When I ain't sleepin' mama
When I'm not sleepin'
You know you'll find me crying

Try another city baby
Another town
Wherever I have gone
Wherever I've been and gone
Wherever I have gone
The blues come followin' down

Livin' is a gamble baby
Lovin's much the same
Wherever I have played
Whenever I've thrown them dice
Wherever I have played
The blues have run the game

Maybe tomorrow honey
Some place down the line
I'll wake up older
So much older mama
I'll wake up older
And I'll just stop all my trying

Catch a boat to England baby
Maybe to Spain
Wherever I have gone
Wherever I've been and gone




Wherever I have gone
The blues are all the same

Overall Meaning

The song "Blues run the game" by Jackson C. Frank is a poignant tale of a wandering musician's struggles with love, loneliness and isolation. The opening lines of the song, "Catch a boat to England baby, maybe to Spain" suggests that the singer of the song appears to be a nomad, constantly moving from place to place, looking for a home but never finding it. He craves for whiskey, gin and room service to alleviate his troubles, which he describes as "a life of sin." The recurring theme in the song is that wherever he goes, the blues seem to follow him, whether it's the blues music or the feeling of despair and loneliness. He even goes on to say that "Living is a gamble, loving's much the same", implying that both love and life itself are full of uncertainties and risk.


In the second verse, the singer admits that when he's not drinking, his thoughts are consumed by his lover. He cries himself to sleep at night, which shows that his heartache is more profound than just the physical loneliness of being on the road. He tries moving to different cities in search of a change of pace, but the blues always seem to catch up with him. Finally, in the last verse, he comes to terms with his isolation and seemingly accepts it. He talks about waking up one day much older and not trying anymore.


Overall, the song is a touching expression of the universal feeling of loneliness and the search for a sense of belonging. The refrain of the song, "Wherever I have gone, the blues are all the same" is a powerful reminder of how even though we may change our surroundings, our internal struggles remain constant.


Line by Line Meaning

Catch a boat to England baby
I want to escape my current situation by leaving and going to England or Spain.


Maybe to Spain
I am unsure where I will end up, but I know I need to get away.


Wherever I have gone
No matter where I have traveled, the blues have followed me.


Wherever I've been and gone
Whenever I have traveled and returned, the blues have still been there.


The blues are all the same
No matter where I go, my troubles and sorrows remain constant.


Send out for whiskey baby
I turn to alcohol and self-destructive behavior to cope with my problems.


Send out for gin
I will try anything to numb the pain.


Me and room service honey
The only company I have is room service, a symbol of my loneliness and isolation.


Me and room service babe
I am just trying to get by, one day at a time.


Me and room service
I have accepted the fact that I am alone and helpless.


Well we're living a life of sin
My lifestyle is unhealthy and immoral, as I try to find a way out of my despair.


When I'm not drinkin' baby
I cannot escape my sadness, even when I am sober.


You are on my mind
You are my only source of hope and happiness.


When I'm not sleepin' honey
I am plagued by insomnia due to my anxiety and depression.


When I ain't sleepin' mama
I am constantly restless due to my emotional turmoil.


When I'm not sleepin'
My mind is always racing with thoughts of you, my pain, and my problems.


You know you'll find me crying
I am in pain and I cannot hide my emotions.


Try another city baby
I keep running away from my problems, hoping to find a new start.


Another town
Maybe the next place I go will be better than the last.


The blues come followin' down
I know that my problems will continue to haunt me, no matter where I go.


Livin' is a gamble baby
Life is unpredictable and full of risks.


Lovin's much the same
Love is also unpredictable and can be just as painful as life itself.


Wherever I have played
No matter what I do, my problems are never far behind.


Whenever I've thrown them dice
I have made risky choices in life and love, hoping for a better outcome.


The blues have run the game
I have never been in control of my life, and my emotions have been dictating my actions.


Maybe tomorrow honey
I still have hope that things will get better.


Some place down the line
It may not be today, but someday my luck will change.


I'll wake up older
Time keeps moving, and I have grown weary from the weight of my problems.


So much older mama
I feel like I have aged beyond my years, due to my emotional pain.


And I'll just stop all my trying
I will give up my futile attempts to escape my problems, and will try to accept them instead.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Frank Carey Jackson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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