His build earned him a nickname and a signature song, "Mr. Five by Five" ("he's five feet tall and he's five feet wide"). His best known recordings are probably those of "Going to Chicago" with Basie and "Harvard Blues" with the famous saxophone solo by Don Byas. George Frazier, author of "Harvard Blues", called Rushing's distinctive voice, "a magnificent gargle".
He died of leukemia in 1972 in New York City.
Trouble in Mind
Jimmy Rushing Lyrics
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But I won't be blue always,
'Cause that sun is gonna shine in my back door someday.
Now all you men's the same
But now I'm old enough to change my name.
Lord, that sun's gonna shine in my back door someday.
On that lonesome railroad line
And let the 2:19 ease my troubled mind.
Trouble in mind, I'm blue,
But I won't be blue always.
Child, that wind's gonna come and blow my blues away!
The song "Trouble in Mind" by Jimmy Rushing is a classic blues song that portrays the melancholy mood of the singer, who is feeling down and blue. However, there's a glimmer of hope in the song that suggests that the singer is looking forward to better days ahead. The lyrics suggest that the singer believes that the sun will shine again, and the wind will blow away his blues.
The first two lines of the song, "Trouble in mind, I'm blue, But I won't be blue always," illustrate the depressive mood of the singer, who seems to be going through a tough time. Despite this hardship, the song's refrain suggests a silver lining. The singer believes that the sun is going to shine in his back door someday, indicating that his bad times will come to an end.
Further in the song, the singer expresses a desire to change his name, indicating that he is willing to make a change to improve his situation. The stanza "I'm gonna lay my head On that lonesome railroad line And let the 2:19 ease my troubled mind," suggests the possibility that he may even end his life as a result of his blues, although he is not specific about his intentions. Still, in the end, the singer suggests that he will come out of his blues because "that wind's gonna come and blow my blues away!" Therefore, the song "Trouble in Mind," delivers a message that despite life's difficulties, there's always hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Trouble in mind, I'm blue
I am experiencing emotional and mental distress, and I am feeling sad.
But I won't be blue always,
Although I am feeling sad currently, I believe that it will not last forever.
'Cause that sun is gonna shine in my back door someday.
I have hope that things will get better, and happiness will come my way one day soon.
Now all you men's the same
All men are similar in their actions and behavior.
But now I'm old enough to change my name.
I am mature enough to change who I am as a person and make choices that will benefit me.
Lord, that sun's gonna shine in my back door someday.
I still believe that good things will come to me in the future.
I'm gonna lay my head
I plan to rest my head in a particular place.
On that lonesome railroad line
I will rest on the deserted train tracks.
And let the 2:19 ease my troubled mind.
I will allow the train to carry away my worries and provide comfort and solace.
Child, that wind's gonna come and blow my blues away!
I believe that a force I cannot control will take away my sadness and provide relief.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Richard M. Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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