Reed was born in Dunleith, Mississippi, in 1925, learning the harmonica and guitar from Eddie Taylor, a close friend. After spending several years busking and performing in the area, Reed moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1943 before being drafted into the US Navy during World War II. In 1945, Reed was discharged and moved back to Mississippi for a brief period, marrying his girlfriend, Mary "Mama" Reed, before moving to Gary, Indiana to work at an Armour & Co. meat packing plant. Mama Reed appears as an uncredited background singer on many of his songs, notably the major hits "Baby What You Want Me to Do", "Big Boss Man" and "Bright Lights, Big City".
By the 1950s, Reed had established himself as a popular musician and joined the "Gary Kings" with John Brim, as well as playing on the street with Willie Joe Duncan. Reed failed to gain a recording contract with Chess Records, but signed with Vee-Jay Records through Brim's drummer, Albert King. At Vee-Jay, Reed began playing again with Eddie Taylor and soon released "You Don't Have to Go", his first hit record. This was followed by a long string of hits.
Reed maintained his reputation despite his rampant alcoholism; sometimes his wife had to help him remember the lyrics to his songs while recording. In 1957, Reed developed epilepsy, though the condition was not correctly diagnosed for a long time, as Reed and doctors assumed it was delirium tremens.
In spite of his numerous hits, Reed's personal problems prevented him from achieving the same level of fame as other popular blues artists of the time, though he had more hit songs than many others. When Vee-Jay Records closed down, Reed's manager signed a contract with the fledgling ABC-Bluesway label, but Reed was never able to score another hit.
In 1968 he toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival.
Jimmy Reed died in Oakland, California in 1976, of respiratory failure, eight days short of his 51st birthday. He is interred in the Lincoln Cemetery in Worth, Illinois.
In 1991 Reed was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Rolling Stones have cited Reed as a major influence on their sound, and their early set lists included many of Reed's songs, including tracks like "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby", "The Sun is Shining" (also played at the Stones' 1969 Altamont concert), "Bright Lights, Big City" and "Shame, Shame, Shame" ; the B-side of their February 1964 hit single "Not Fade Away" was a pastiche of "Shame, Shame, Shame" entitled "Little by Little". Their first album, The Rolling Stones, (subtitled England's Newest Hit Makers in America), released in April 1964, featured both "Little by Little" and their cover of Reed's "Honest I Do".
The Yardbirds recorded an instrumental dedicated to him entitled "Like Jimmy Reed Again", which was released on the "definitive edition" of their album Having a Rave Up.
Van Morrison's group Them covered "Bright Lights, Big City" and "Baby, What You Want Me To Do", both of which can be found on The Story of Them Featuring Van Morrison.
"Big Boss Man" was sung regularly by Ron "Pigpen" McKernan with the Grateful Dead during the 1960s and early 1970s and appears on their live album Skull and Roses. It was revived a few times by Jerry Garcia with the Dead during the 1980s. Bob Weir of the Dead also played it a few times with Kingfish in the mid 70s, and more recently with Ratdog. Phil Lesh also plays it with Phil & Friends. The Grateful Dead have also performed Baby What You Want Me to Do with Brent Mydland on vocals.
Elvis Presley recorded several of Reed's songs, scoring a 1967 hit with "Big Boss Man" and recording several performances of "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" for his 1968 Comeback TV Special. (However, Presley's 1964 hit, "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" is a different song than that recorded by Reed.) The song "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" was also covered by Wishbone Ash on their 1972 live album, Live Dates. "Baby What You Want Me to Do" was also frequently performed by Etta James and Hot Tuna. Johnny and Edgar Winter performed the song live in 1975 and included it on Johnny and Edgar Winter Together.
Reed's recordings of "Big Boss Man" and "Bright Lights, Big City" were both voted onto the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Noted Austin, Texas musicians, Omar Kent Dykes and Jimmie Vaughan released an album entitled On the Jimmy Reed Highway as a tribute to Reed.
Bill Cosby covered 4 of Reed's songs – "Bright Lights, Big City", "Big Boss Man", "Hush Hush" and "Aw Shucks, Hush Your Mouth" – on his 1967 album Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings.
Steve Miller Band covered 5 of Reed's songs – "You're So Fine" on his 1968 album Sailor; "I Wanna Be Loved (But By Only You)", "Big Boss Man", "Caress Me Baby" and "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" on his 1986 album Living in the 20th Century.
Neil Young historically plays Reed's music to his audience before his shows.
British punk pioneer Billy Childish and his band Thee Headcoats released an EP of Reed covers entitled The Jimmy Reed Experience on Get Hip Records in 1997.
Found Love
Jimmy Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I found true love, one worth waitin' for
I'm gonna sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
It's hard to believe the condition the world is in
It's hard to believe the condition the world is in
You can't trust nobody and girl you know it's a sin
I found true love, one worth me waitin' for
And I'll sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
"Found Love" by Jimmy Reed is a blues song about finding true love after waiting patiently for it, and how difficult it is to trust people in today's world. The opening lines of the song, "I found true love, one worth waitin' for / I'm gonna sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw" indicate how happy the singer is to have finally found someone special whom he can trust and depend upon. He believes that his true love is perfect in every way and there's nothing that could possibly go wrong in the relationship.
However, the next verse portrays a stark contrast to the happiness and joy of the first verse. Reed sings "It's hard to believe the condition the world is in / You can't trust nobody and girl you know it's a sin." These lines demonstrate how the singer has faced difficulties in his love life before finding true love. He knows how difficult it is to trust people in today's world where people often cheat and deceive, which makes it all the more special that he has finally found someone who is trustworthy and committed.
Overall, "Found Love" is a song about the power of true love and how it can overcome the difficulties and obstacles of the world. The lyrics express a sense of gratitude and happiness that one feels when they finally find someone who is worth waiting for and who will stand by them through thick and thin.
Line by Line Meaning
I found true love, one worth waitin' for
I have finally found a love that is genuine and worth the wait.
I'm gonna sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
I am so confident in the sincerity of this love that I am willing to make a binding commitment to it, without any reservations or doubts.
It's hard to believe the condition the world is in
The world is in such a state of turmoil and deception that it is difficult to trust anyone or anything.
You can't trust nobody and girl you know it's a sin
Distrust is so widespread in the world that it has become a moral failing, especially in relationships with others.
I found true love, one worth me waitin' for
The love I have discovered is authentic and valuable, and I am grateful for the patience that allowed me to finally find it.
And I'll sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
I am so certain of the quality and trustworthiness of this love that I am willing to make a formal commitment to it, confident that it will remain strong and durable.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TFS
I found true love, one worth waitin' for
I found true love, one worth waitin' for
I'm gonna sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
It's hard to believe the condition the world is in
It's hard to believe the condition the world is in
You can't trust nobody and girl you know it's a sin
I found true love, one worth me waitin' for
I found true love, one worth me waitin' for
And I'll sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
Joy Gayton
Now Listening To Such GREAT Music Like This In The Morning Or Whenever You Get Up, This Is DEFINITELY The REAL Song To Get Motivated By!!
Mark
I aspire to this man so much. He's influenced my harp playing but I can't play those highs as authentically. His way of speaking lyrics that persist are haunting. Ah man, wish we had more of you.
TFS
I found true love, one worth waitin' for
I found true love, one worth waitin' for
I'm gonna sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
It's hard to believe the condition the world is in
It's hard to believe the condition the world is in
You can't trust nobody and girl you know it's a sin
I found true love, one worth me waitin' for
I found true love, one worth me waitin' for
And I'll sign it to a contract, you won't find one little flaw
Blues Sevenfold
Jimmy Reed was one of the sweetest kindest men of all time!! <3
Kenya Nkhrumah
One of the most iconic/unique/immediately recognizable Artists of all time. I grew up in a time when it was a "sin" to listen or play (phonograph/guitar/harp/Vocalize) this music. Th neoEuropean people led us to believe this wan't culture. But I knew better!! Ha ha ha!!!
Enrico Sanchez
Lets see I was about 8 yrs. old at a family weekend party all my aunts & uncles having a good old time bumping all the old school jams I remember getting a taste of the Blues for the first time it was Mr. Jimmy Reed (Honest I Do) & (Found
Love) I loved the sound of the music the words everything. tell this day Jimmy Reed my #1 Blues Player is in my heart & soul, I am all about Blues. I'll play the Blues for you.
B. Rod Clark
My father used to have this on an 8-track compilation call The Best Of Jimmy Reed Vol. 1...or was it two(?); he was surrounded by sunburst Fender Stratocasters & Jazzmasters on the album cover
Priscilla Marie Palacios
For my Father Mr Richard c Palacios... Rest in peace Dad😭🧡🙏
qwerty !!
i searched up found love and only pop songs came up until i found the legend
Johnny Russell
Jimmy Reed was iliterate. in some of his songs you can hear his wife telling him some of the lyrics