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.
Shame
Jimmy Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it make no sense
Know you got me baby
Up against this fence
An' ain't that a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame the way you do
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame
Well now you walk out in the evenin'
Don't even say you goin'
Six o'clock in the mornin'
You come walkin' home
An' ain't it a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame, the way you do
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame
Oh it's a shame on you
Well, I be sittin' there waitin'
For you to come home
When I wake up baby
I'm sittin' there all alone
An' ain't it a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame, the way you do
Oh, it's a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame on you
The lyrics of Jimmy Reed's song "Shame Shame Shame" portray the frustrating experience of being in a dysfunctional relationship. In the first stanza, the singer addresses their partner, explaining that they tried to tell them something important but it made no difference. Now they find themselves stuck against a fence, trapped in a situation they cannot remedy. The chorus repeats the phrase "ain't that a shame" as the singer expresses disappointment and disapproval towards their partner's behavior. In the second stanza, the singer describes how their partner leaves without saying where they are going and returns early in the morning, emphasizing a lack of communication and commitment. The final stanza shows the singer waiting for their partner to come home, only to wake up and find themselves alone once again.
The lyrics of "Shame Shame Shame" highlight the difficulties of maintaining a functional relationship when there is a lack of trust, communication, and commitment. The repetition of the phrase "ain't that a shame" emphasizes the disappointment and frustration the singer feels towards their partner's behavior. The motif of waiting at home for a partner who never shows up or leaves early in the morning underscores feelings of abandonment and loneliness. Overall, the song expresses the pain and heartbreak caused by a dysfunctional relationship that seems beyond repair.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I tried to tell you baby
I attempted to communicate with you, my partner, but you didn't understand.
But it make no sense
My communication with you was unsuccessful and frustrating.
Know you got me baby
You have a hold on me, my partner.
Up against this fence
I feel trapped and unable to escape our troubles.
An' ain't that a shame, shame, shame
This situation is unfortunate and regrettable.
Shame, shame the way you do
Your actions are disgraceful and unacceptable.
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame
I am disappointed and disheartened.
Shame, shame, on you
You are to blame for causing me pain and discomfort.
Well now you walk out in the evenin'
You leave our home without saying where you are going.
Don't even say you goin'
You don't bother to inform me of your plans.
Six o'clock in the mornin'
Early in the morning, before the sun has even risen.
You come walkin' home
You return home after a night out.
An' ain't it a shame, shame, shame
This is a lamentable and unfortunate situation.
Oh it's a shame on you
You should feel guilty for causing me this pain.
Well, I be sittin' there waitin'
I spend time waiting for you to return home.
For you to come home
I anticipate your arrival, hoping for some form of affection or acknowledgement.
When I wake up baby
When I regain consciousness, usually after a night of waiting.
I'm sittin' there all alone
I am isolated and lonely, with no comfort from your presence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JIMMY REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vinicius Silva
Well, I tried to tell you, baby
But it make no sense
Know you got me baby
Up against this fence
And ain't that a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame the way you do
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame on you
Well, now you walk out in the evenin'
Don't even say you goin'
Six o'clock in the mornin
You come walkin' home
And ain't it a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame the way you do
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame
Oh, it's a shame on you
Well, I be sittin' there waitin'
For you to come home
When I wake up, baby
I'm sittin' there all alone
And ain't that a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame, the way you do
Oh, it's a shame, shame, shame
Shame, shame on you
Joe Schmo
It's a shame, shame, shame that some people have never heard this song. RIP Jimmy.
kungfurabbit71
my soul has been blessed! no cussin, no sex, no self proclaimed "gangsta's" . just good ol Jimmy and his harp! have mercy
scholion
I listen to all sorts of music from Italian Renaissance operas to gangsta rap. There is no such thing as poor or worthless music and I'm happy to be aware of this truth, but some pieces really do "stand out". This song is such an example. This is music like it should be. RIP Jimmy Reed.
Bob Aldo
Been listening to Jimmy Reed since 1955. I still have all the VeeJay 45's. He was the true "president of the blues" - charting more hits than any other blues artist including BB.
ANARX BROS.
you can really hear how the Rolling Stones took the detail work from his stuff, not just the riffage. So good.
Dan G
@juan benede best rip-off merchants?
James Buckingham.
@Dan G They weren’t rip off merchants they credited everyone whose numbers they covered and whose style they admired. They were big fans of Jimmy Reed. They covered a few of his numbers on their early albums and Jagger said Little By Little written by them was a homage to his style. In fact when Jimmy died he was broke and Jagger and Richards paid for his funeral.
When the Stones did their first audition for a record company they chose Jimmy’s Bright Lights Big City.
John Ruiz
That's the stuff! Thanks. Between Reed, Berry and Waters, the Stones made a career. Nothin' beats the original!
Curtis Mitchell
One of the first songs I learned to play in '62 ( my dad was my guitar hero and played it). Great memories!
Gene Dent
Roots of Rock. Jimmy Reed's records were a staple around our house in the 50's.