Mr. Bad Luck
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics


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Look over yonder here come the blues
The thirteenth of any time, powered by fools
I can see 'em comin'
Wearing a blue armoured coat
You're sittin' here with your violins
Hittin' wrong notes
Look over yonder, he's comin' my way
When he's around, I never have a happy day
(you even bust my guitar strings)

Look over yonder, look over yonder, look over yonder etc.

Look over yonder
Well, he's talkin' to my baby
They found my peace pipe on her
Now they're draggin' her away
Lord knows we don't need a devil like him beatin' us around
Well, he's knockin' on my door
How my house is tumblin' down

Now don't you come no closer
The path is keepin' me bolder
Wait by my door baby
Unless you want to start another war
Look over yonder, hey
Look over yonder




Look over yonder
Look over yonder

Overall Meaning

The song "Mr. Bad Luck" by Jimi Hendrix is a blues song about a character who brings bad luck wherever he goes. The lyrics describe the arrival of the "blues" in the form of Mr. Bad Luck, who is described as wearing a blue armoured coat. The singer of the song can see him coming and knows that whenever he's around, he never has a happy day. The lyrics are tinged with a sense of impending doom, as the singer is aware of the negative impact that Mr. Bad Luck will have on his life.


The second verse describes Mr. Bad Luck interacting with the singer's girlfriend and being caught with her peace pipe. The singer blames Mr. Bad Luck for all the problems that he's having, including the tumbling down of his house. He warns Mr. Bad Luck not to come any closer and to wait by his door unless he wants to start another war. The repeated refrain of "look over yonder" creates a sense of urgency and tension throughout the song.


Overall, the lyrics of "Mr. Bad Luck" convey a feeling of powerlessness in the face of an uncontrollable force that is bringing chaos and destruction. The blues element of the song gives it a mournful quality that adds to the sense of despair.


Line by Line Meaning

Look over yonder here come the blues
I see the troubles approaching, and it's not an unusual occurrence. It happens regularly and repeatedly, caused by foolish actions.


The thirteenth of any time, powered by fools
This bad luck is not unique to me - it's a recurring pattern, and it seems that the people who bring it are the ones who make poor choices.


I can see 'em comin'
I can predict these problems' arrival, and I am bracing myself for their impact.


Wearing a blue armoured coat
These problems are not easily defeated - they are shielded by something that makes them difficult to overcome.


You're sittin' here with your violins
You are not contributing anything positive to the situation - instead, you are making things worse by making mistakes.


Hittin' wrong notes
Your mistakes are causing further problems, and you are hindering any progress to fix the situation.


Look over yonder, he's comin' my way
The source of the problem is approaching me, and it's one that brings me unhappiness every time it appears.


When he's around, I never have a happy day
This problem always brings me down, and it ruins any chance I have of experiencing joy or happiness.


(you even bust my guitar strings)
This problem is so destructive that it even harms my prized possessions and causes damage beyond repair.


Well, he's talkin' to my baby
My loved ones are also affected by this problem, and they are being influenced and coerced by it.


They found my peace pipe on her
My loved ones are being blamed for things they did not do, and their actions are being misconstrued and unfairly judged.


Now they're draggin' her away
My loved ones are being punished for something they did not do, and they are being taken away from me against their will.


Lord knows we don't need a devil like him beatin' us around
This problem is like a devil that haunts us, and it's time to recognize that we don't deserve to be treated this way and move on.


Well, he's knockin' on my door
The problem is back, and it's coming for me once again.


How my house is tumblin' down
The problem is causing destruction and chaos in my life, and it's tearing down everything I had built before.


Now don't you come no closer
I don't want this problem to come any closer to me, and I am trying to keep my distance.


The path is keepin' me bolder
I am trying to stay strong and stand my ground despite this problem's looming presence.


Wait by my door baby
I need my loved ones to wait by my side, so we can face this problem together as a united front.


Unless you want to start another war
Unless my loved ones want to be dragged into a conflict caused by this problem, we need to stand firm and not let it push us around.


Look over yonder, hey
The problem is still there, and we need to keep our guard up and stay vigilant.


Look over yonder
Don't forget about the problem - it's still there, waiting to pounce on us when we're not paying attention.


Look over yonder
Stay alert and stay prepared - the problem may seem like it's gone, but it could be lurking just over the horizon.


Look over yonder
Don't be complacent and assume that everything is okay - keep an eye out for the next time the problem shows up.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMI HENDRIX

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Devin Kennedy


on Spanish Castle Magic (alternate take)

Is this really the alternete take

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