Jimmy Rogers was born James A. Lane in Ruleville, Mississippi, and was raised in Memphis. Rogers learned the harmonica alongside his childhood friend Snooky Pryor, and as a teenager took up the guitar and played professionally in East St. Louis, Illinois (where he played with Junior Lockwood), before moving to Chicago in the mid-1940s after serving in the military. By 1946 he'd made his first record as a harmonica player and singer for the local Harlem label, although his name was not included on the label — the record was issued under the names "Memphis Slim and his Houserockers".
Rogers joined Waters the next year, with whom he helped shape the sound of the nascent Chicago Blues style. Although he had several successful releases of his own on Chess Records beginning in 1950 with "That's Alright", he stayed in Waters' band until leaving the band for a solo career in 1954. In the mid 1950s he enjoyed several successful record releases, most notably "Walking By Myself", but as the '50s drew to a close and interest in the blues waned, he gradually withdrew from the music business.
By the 1960s he was working mainly outside of music, until 1971 when fashions made him a reasonable draw in Europe, and he was able to record again, including a 1977 session with Waters. By 1982, Rogers was again a solo artist.
He continued touring and recording albums until his death in 1997, in Chicago.
Jimmy Rogers (1984) - (Compilation album of some pre-1960 songs)
Ludella (1990)
Jimmy Rogers with Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters (1991) - Live
Feelin' Good with special guest Rod Piazza (1994) Blind Pig
Sloppy Drunk (1998) - (Compact disc re-issue of original album released in December 1973)
Blue Bird (1994) - Analogue Productions Originals
Blues Blues Blues (1999)
The Complete Chess Recordings(1997)
Out on the Road
Jimmy Rogers Lyrics
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i didn't have no home
i didn't have no place to go
i walked all the way from east st. louis today
now you know i didn't have ??
oh boy to pay my way
i want you to take me back baby
darlin try me one more time
darlin try me one more time
if i don't treat you no better
darlin i'll break my neck trying
The lyrics to Jimmy Rogers's song "Out on the Road" depict the feelings of a man who has been abandoned by his first wife and left with nowhere to go. He is wandering the streets, homeless and penniless, when he approaches a woman, pleading with her to take him back. He admits fault in their past relationship, promising to do better and even offering to break his own neck if he doesn't treat her well. The song reflects on the themes of love, loss, and redemption.
The lyrics also showcase the vulnerability of the singer, who is at the mercy of the woman he is approaching. He is desperate for her to take him back, and it is unclear whether she will accept his offer. The repetition of the phrase "darlin try me one more time" highlights the importance of second chances and the power of forgiveness, even in the face of betrayal.
Overall, "Out on the Road" is a moving song that speaks to the universal human experiences of heartbreak, desperation, and the hope for reconciliation.
Line by Line Meaning
when my first wife quit me she put me out on the road
My first wife left me and I was forced to leave home, without any direction or destination.
i didn't have no home
I was homeless, with nowhere to live or sleep.
i didn't have no place to go
I had no idea on where to go next or what to do next, alone and lost.
i walked all the way from east st. louis today
I had to walk a long distance, from east St. Louis, to get away and find a new life.
now you know i didn't have no boy to pay my way
I had no money or financial support, so I had to rely on the generosity of others to help me get by.
i want you to take me back baby
I am begging for a second chance, for someone to give me another opportunity at love and life.
darlin try me one more time
Please give me one more chance to prove myself and make things right.
if i don't treat you no better
If I fail to show you the love and respect you deserve,
darlin i'll break my neck trying
I am willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you, even if it means going to great lengths or risking my own safety.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES A. LANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind