Ball And Chain
Janis Joplin (with Big Brother & The Holding Company) Lyrics


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We got one more song, uh, it's called "Love Is Like a Ball and Chain"
Sittin' down by my window,
Just lookin' on at the rain.
Mm, sittin' down by my window,
Just lookin' on at the rain.
Somethin' came along, honey, grabbed a hold of me,
An' it felt like a ball and chain.
Yeah! Alright!

And I said, oh, whoa, whoa, hon, tell me why,
Why does every thing go, go wrong ?
I said hon it all go wrong, I want to know! I want to know!
And I said, oh, whoa, whoa, honey, tell me why,
Why does every thing go wrong ?
I said babe it all go wrong, yeah.
Know, here you gone today, hon, I want to love you,
Babe, I want to love you for so long.
Yeah! Alright!

Love got a hold on me, baby,
And it feels like a ball and chain.
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, love got a hold on me, baby,
Feels like a ball and chain.
Honey, I don't know why the man I'm lovin'
Want to go and leave me here, said want to leave me here in so much pain.
Alright, there's one more thing I'm gonna ask you, yeah!

And I said, oh, whoa, babe, tell me why,
Honey, tell me why, hon tell, tell me why,
I said baby why, baby why, why, Lord, yeah!
And I said, oh, whoa, whoa, baby, tell me why,
Oh tell me, when I ask you, I want to know why,
Now baby, lordy baby!
Here you gone today,
I want to love you, love you, love you,
Till the day I die.
Alright, yeah!!!!

And I said oh, whoa, whoa, hon
It ain't fair,it ain't fair, hon what you do,
I say baby what you're doin' to me, no, no, no, no, no, no.
And I said oh, whoa, whoa, honey, it ain't fair,
Darling, it ain't fair what you do.
Darling, I tried to tell ya!
You went and you broke my heart, honey and it did not
You know I said it did not belong to you.
I want everybody, yeah!
Come on! Hey!

Sittin' down by my window,
Just lookin' on at the rain, peep at the rain, Lord.
Sittin' down by my window,
Just lookin' on at the rain. [Chuckles]
Somethin' came along, honey, grabbed a hold of me,
And it felt like a ball and chain.
Alright, everybody come for the last time, yeah!

And I said oh, whoa, whoa, hon
This can't be,
No, this can't be in vain,
Darling, I said no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Yeah!
And I said oh whoa, whoa, baby, this can't be
Oh B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-ba-ba-ba-baby not in vain,
Darling no no, I said darling no no, yeah!
And I hope there's someone who could tell me, come on,
Tell me why, oh tell me why
Oh baby tell me why love
Oh honey, why love is like
Well, it's like a ball




And
And a chain.

Overall Meaning

The song "Ball and Chain" by Janis Joplin (with Big Brother & The Holding Company) is a blues rock song about the struggles of love. The lyrics portrays love as a heavy burden, that holds the singer down like a ball and chain. The song begins with the singer sitting by the window, watching the rain, when something comes and grabs a hold of them, making them feel trapped and weighed down. The singer then questions why everything in life goes wrong and why love is so difficult. The chorus repeats the phrase "Love got a hold on me, baby, And it feels like a ball and chain."


Throughout the song, the singer expresses frustration with love and the pain caused by someone leaving. The lines, "Here you gone today, hon, I want to love you, Babe, I want to love you for so long" shows that love is a cycle of pain, where the singer is always left heartbroken but still wants to love again. The song ends with the singer hoping that someone can explain why love is like a ball and chain, emphasizing the heaviness and burden of love.


Line by Line Meaning

We got one more song, uh, it's called "Love Is Like a Ball and Chain"
Introducing a song that compares love to a ball and chain.


Sittin' down by my window, Just lookin' on at the rain.
Reflecting on life while watching the rain.


Somethin' came along, honey, grabbed a hold of me, An' it felt like a ball and chain.
Love entered her life and trapped her, like a ball and chain.


And I said, oh, whoa, whoa, hon, tell me why, Why does every thing go, go wrong ?
Questioning why everything seems to go wrong.


Know, here you gone today, hon, I want to love you, Babe, I want to love you for so long.
Longing to love the one who left, still loves them deeply.


Love got a hold on me, baby, And it feels like a ball and chain.
Love has a powerful hold over her, almost like a burden.


Honey, I don't know why the man I'm lovin' Want to go and leave me here, said want to leave me here in so much pain.
Confused and hurt by the one who is leaving her in pain.


And I said oh, whoa, whoa, hon It ain't fair,it ain't fair, hon what you do, I say baby what you're doin' to me, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Upset and frustrated with the unfair treatment from the one she loves.


Darling, I tried to tell ya! You went and you broke my heart, honey and it did not You know I said it did not belong to you.
Trying to express her pain caused by the one who broke her heart.


Sittin' down by my window, Just lookin' on at the rain, peep at the rain, Lord. Sittin' down by my window, Just lookin' on at the rain. [Chuckles]
Reflecting again, watching the rain.


And I said oh, whoa, whoa, hon This can't be, No, this can't be in vain, Darling, I said no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Yeah!
Refusing to believe the love was in vain, still hopeful for a meaningful outcome.


And I hope there's someone who could tell me, come on, Tell me why, oh tell me why Oh baby tell me why love Oh honey, why love is like Well, it's like a ball And And a chain.
Seeking answers as to why love feels so restricting and painful.




Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: WILLIE MAE THORNTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

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All comments from YouTube:

@cliometrician

I'm 73 years old and I am still addicted to her music. Yes, I'm opinionated, I still think the late 1960s and early 70s was the greatest time for music...and I got to live it.

@hectorgonzalez9170

When modern music was being invented.

It was the best of times.

@RabbitFighters

This wasn’t even her song. She just screeched on it and didn’t give credit to the actual performer. Die in you glory of lies

@MikhnevichNatalya

👍👍👍👍❤

@diccmctwist

certified geezer moment love ya m8

@SavannahBakly

I’m 28 years old and I couldn’t agree with you more 👏

40 More Replies...

@AngiereeRN

Cass Elliot’s reaction was the icing on the cake. Love how happy Janis looked. She knew she killed it. What a loss that those women aren’t still with us 😔

@frankcorrenti5941

The lesson we carried was God gave us what they had.

@lukehauser1182

Love that Cass could appreciate Janis so much!

@joshgoolman3606

Would be my reaction if I saw this live as well!

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