Jackson was born in Hernando, Mississippi, and was raised on a farm, where he learned to play guitar. Around 1905 he started working as a singer, dancer, and musician in medicine shows, playing dances and parties often with other local musicians such as Gus Cannon, Frank Stokes and Robert Wilkins. He soon began travelling with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, featuring Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, and other minstrel shows.
He also played clubs on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. His popularity and proficiency secured him a residency at Memphis's prestigious Peabody Hotel in 1919. Like Leadbelly, Jackson knew hundreds of songs including blues, ballads, vaudeville numbers, and traditional tunes, and became a popular attraction.
In 1927, talent scout H. C. Speir signed him to a recording contract with Vocalion Records. On October 10 1927, he recorded "Jim Jackson's Kansas City Blues", which became a best-seller, and in the melody and lyrics of which can be traced the outline of many later blues and rock and roll songs, including "Rock Around The Clock" and "Kansas City". Following his hit Jackson recorded a series of 'Kansas City' follow-ups and soundalikes.[2] He moved to Memphis in 1928, and made a series of further recordings, including the comic medicine show song "I Heard the Voice of a Pork Chop". He also appeared in King Vidor's all-black, 1929 film, Hallelujah!.
Jackson ran the Red Rose Minstrels, a travelling medicine show which toured Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama. As a talent scout for Brunswick Records, he discovered Rufus "Speckled Red" Perryman, gaining him his first recording session[3]. Shortly afterwards, in February 1930, Jackson recorded his own last session. He later moved back to Hernando, and continued to perform until his death in 1933.
Janis Joplin later recorded a version of "Kansas City Blues", inserting the lines "Babe, I'm leavin', yeah I'm a-leavin' this mornin' / Goin' to Kansas City to bring Jim Jackson home".
Jackson was a major influence on the Chicago bluesman J. B. Lenoir, and his "Kansas City Blues" was a regular fixture of Robert Nighthawk's concert set list.
The song "Wild About My Lovin'" was covered by The Lovin' Spoonful and released on their first "best of" album in 1967.
I'm Gonna Start Me A Graveyard Of My Own
Jim Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If that man don't leave my gal alone
Oh, my razor certainly am a trusty blade, lay that man right in the shade
I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
Aw, she bundled up my clothes and th'owed 'em out of doors
I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
Well, she gave me the sack, gonna never come back
Yeah, I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
If that man don't leave my girl alone
My razor certainly am a trusty blade, lay that man right in the shade
I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
'Cause I'm 'round him, downed him, I ain't good-lookin' but found him
I don't believe nobody'll drag me away
Yes, I'm around him, downed him, I ain't good-lookin' but found him
I don't believe nobody'll drag me 'way
Aw, she bundled up my clothes and th'owed 'em out of doors
I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
She gave me the sack, gon' never come back
And I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
Recitation: 'Course, I was down to a girl's house the other night. She told me she didn't have no one to come to see 'er. I went down there, knocked on the door, she told me to come in. Whilst I was sittin' down there, another man come down there, bigger than I was. He come in and I spoke to him and he spoke awful dry, and to let me know he owned everything down there, he went on through in the back room. Whilst he was in there, this girl said, "Don't pay that man no mind", say, "He used to be somethin' here, but he ain't nothin' here now.". I said, "I ain't studyin' 'bout that man, 'cause I'm just
'Round him, downed him, I ain't good-lookin' but found him
I don't believe nobody'll drag me away
'Cause I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
If that man don't leave my girl alone
Oh, my razor certainly am a trusty blade, lay that man right in the shade
I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
The song "I'm Gonna Start Me a Graveyard of My Own" by Jim Jackson is about a man who decides to start a graveyard of his own because his woman has left him for another man. He is filled with anger and revenge towards the man who has taken his woman and threatens to use his razor blade to "lay that man right in the shade." The lyrics also describe the singer's feelings of being downed by the man who has taken his woman, and his determination to not let that man drag him away from his mission to start a graveyard.
The imagery of the graveyard serves as a metaphor for the singer's emotions. He is burying his old life and relationships, and starting anew with his own graveyard. The razor blade represents his desire for revenge and his willingness to resort to violence to protect his own honor.
Overall, "I'm Gonna Start Me a Graveyard of My Own" is a blues song that channels the pain and anger of heartbreak into a powerful expression of revenge and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
He is going to take revenge on the man who is trying to steal his girl away by setting up a cemetery.
If that man don't leave my gal alone
He is warning the man to leave his girlfriend alone or face the consequences.
Oh, my razor certainly am a trusty blade, lay that man right in the shade
He is confident in his razor and believes it will help him take down the man who is trying to take his girlfriend.
Aw, she bundled up my clothes and th'owed 'em out of doors
His girlfriend has kicked him out of her house and thrown his clothes out of the door.
Well, she gave me the sack, gonna never come back
His girlfriend has broken up with him and he has no intention of going back to her.
Aw, she bundled up my clothes and th'owed 'em out of doors
His girlfriend has kicked him out of her house and thrown his clothes out of the door.
Yeah, I'm gonna start a graveyard of my own
He repeats his plan to start a cemetery as revenge for the man who tried to steal his girlfriend.
'Cause I'm 'round him, downed him, I ain't good-lookin' but found him
He's not worried about the man trying to steal his girl because he's already intimidated him.
I don't believe nobody'll drag me away
He is not afraid of anyone and won't be deterred from his plan of revenge.
Recitation: 'Course, I was down to a girl's house the other night. She told me she didn't have no one to come to see 'er. I went down there, knocked on the door, she told me to come in. Whilst I was sittin' down there, another man come down there, bigger than I was. He come in and I spoke to him and he spoke awful dry, and to let me know he owned everything down there, he went on through in the back room. Whilst he was in there, this girl said, "Don't pay that man no mind", say, "He used to be somethin' here, but he ain't nothin' here now.". I said, "I ain't studyin' 'bout that man, 'cause I'm just
He is relaying the story of how he encountered the man who is trying to steal his girlfriend at her house.
Contributed by Avery S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.