Jimmy Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 - September 18, 1997) was an American blu… Read Full Bio ↴Jimmy Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 - September 18, 1997) was an American blues singer.

James John (Jimmy) Witherspoon, also known by the nickname “Spoon”, was a versatile "blues shouter" who achieved commercial success and critical acclaim in the genres of blues, jazz, and rhythm and blues. His 1947 recording “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” was a hit in 1949 and became his signature song.

His date of birth is usually given as August 8, 1923, but some sources give the birth year as 1920, and more than one source gives the birth date as August 18, 1921, attributing the information to his son. Since he may have run away from home to Los Angeles, California, as early as 1935, the earlier dates seem more plausible. In a 1996 interview, he gave his age as seventy-four, which also corresponds with the 1921 date.
Jimmy Witherspoon was born in Gurdon (Clark County) Arkansas to Leonard Witherspoon, a Missouri Pacific Railroad brakeman, and Eva Tatum Witherspoon, a church pianist. The family was devoutly religious. His parents were members of the choir at their Baptist church.

He didn't pursue music professionally until after his stint in the Merchant Marines in World War II. On his return to the Unites States in 1944, he replaced Walter Brown in Jay McShann's band, and performed with Big Joe Turner and T-Bone Walker.

Witherpoon's first hit record was "Ain't Nobody's Business", which he followed in 1949 with a reworking of the Leroy Carr song "In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down". His hit "Ain't Nobody's Business" was one of the biggest records of the era, and stayed on the Billboard charts for 34 weeks. Spoon made at least 200 recordings, and was one of the few true giants of the post-war blues boom.

Witherspoon recorded for a variety of labels through the 1950s, including cornerstone sides with Swingtime, Federal, Chess, RCA, and even a Dixieland session with The Wilbur de Paris New Orleans Jazz Band for Atlantic in 1956. His long career included performances on jazz stages around the world, from Carnegie Hall to the Newport Jazz Festival, touring Japan with Count Basie, and European tours with Buck Clayton's All Stars. Witherspoon managed to span the worlds of blues, R&B, and jazz with his deep baritone voice and unique style.

Witherspoon died September 18, 1997 in Los Angeles, California.

Spoon first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford's band in Calcutta, India, which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during World War II. Witherspoon made his first records with Jay McShann's band in 1945. In 1949, recording under his own name with the McShann band, he had his first hit, "Ain't Nobody's Business,"[2] a song which came to be regarded as his signature tune. In 1950 he had hits with two more songs closely identified with him: "No Rollin' Blues", "Big Fine Girl", as well as "Failing By Degrees" and "New Orleans Woman" recorded with the Gene Gilbeaux Orchestra which included Herman Washington and Don Hill on the Modern Records label. These were recorded from a live performance on May 10, 1949 at a "Just Jazz" concert Pasadena, CA sponsored by Gene Norman. Another classic Witherspoon composition is "Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough".

Witherspoon's style of blues - that of the "blues shouter" - became unfashionable in the mid-1950s, but he returned to popularity with his 1959 album, Jimmy Witherspoon at the Monterey Jazz Festival, which featured Roy Eldridge, Woody Herman, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines and Mel Lewis, among others. He later recorded with Gerry Mulligan, Leroy Vinnegar, Richard "Groove" Holmes and T-Bone Walker.

Tours and successes

In 1961 he toured Europe with Buck Clayton and returned to the UK on many occasions, featuring on a mid-sixties live UK recording Spoon Sings and Swings (1966) with tenor sax player Dick Morrissey's quartet. In 1970, he appeared on Brother Jack McDuff's London Blue Note recording To Seek a New Home together with British jazz musicians, including Dick Morrissey, again, and Terry Smith. In the 1970s he also recorded the album Guilty! (later released on CD as Black & White Blues) with Eric Burdon and featuring Ike White & the San Quentin Prison Band. He then toured with a band of his own featuring Robben Ford and Russ Ferrante. A recording from this period, Spoonful, featured 'Spoon accompanied by Robben Ford, Joe Sample, Cornell Dupree, Thad Jones and Bernard Purdie. He continued performing and recording into the 1990s.

Other performers with whom Witherspoon recorded include Jimmy Rowles, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Vernon Alley, Mel Lewis, Teddy Edwards, Gerald Wiggins, John Clayton, Paul Humphrey, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jimmy Smith, Long John Baldry, Junior Mance, Ellington bassist Jimmy Woode, Kenny Clarke, Gerry Mulligan, Jim Mullen, Count Basie, Van Morrison, Dutch Swing College Band, Gene Gilbeaux and others.

Acting

In the 1995 film Georgia, Witherspoon portrayed a traveling, gun-collecting blues singer, Trucker, who has a relationship with the troubled character Sadie, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh.

See See Rider
Jimmy Witherspoon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well now see., C. C. Rider,
well now see, see what you have done.
Well now see., C. C. Rider,
well now see, see what you have done.
Well you made me love you woman,
Now your man has come.

So I'm going away now baby

And I won't be back till fall,
I'm going away now baby
And I won't be back till fall,
Just might find me a good girl
Might not be coming back at all.

Well now see, C. C. Rider,
See now the moon is shining bright,
Well now see, C. C. Rider,
See now the moon is shining bright,

Just might find me that good girl
And everything would be alright.

Overall Meaning

In Jimmy Witherspoon's classic blues song, "C.C. Rider," the singer is addressing the titular character. The lyrics express anger, betrayal and a feeling of being forced to leave. In the opening verse, the singer tells C.C. Rider to look at the damage they've caused by making him fall in love with her, only for her man to find out. The repetition of "see what you have done" emphasizes the singer's frustration and heartbreak.

The second verse reveals that the singer is leaving because of C.C. Rider's actions. He won't be back until fall and may not come back at all. The tone of the verse is somewhat defiant, as the singer implies he doesn't need C.C. Rider and may find someone better.

The third verse returns to the theme of finding a new woman. The moon shining bright suggests hope and possibility. The repetition of "just might find me that good girl" reinforces the idea that the singer is moving on and won't be held back by C.C. Rider's actions. In the context of the blues tradition, the lyrics are a classic expression of heartbreak and loss, but also of resilience and the potential for new beginnings.

Line by Line Meaning

Well now see., C. C. Rider,
Addressing someone named C.C. Rider, stating clearly that they are being noticed.

well now see, see what you have done.
Acknowledging that a certain action or behavior of C.C. Rider has had an impact or consequence.

Well you made me love you woman,
Declaring that the singer loves a woman, and attributing this emotion to the actions of C.C. Rider.

Now your man has come.
Implying that the artist's relationship with the woman is now over, as the woman's partner has arrived.

So I'm going away now baby
Announcing the artist's departure.

And I won't be back till fall,
Specifying the duration of the singer's absence.

Just might find me a good girl
Expressing the possibility of the singer finding someone new during their absence.

Might not be coming back at all.
Leaving open the possibility that the artist may not return at all.

See now the moon is shining bright,
Noting the brightness of the moon as if to set the scene.

Just might find me that good girl
Reiterating the possibility of finding a new partner, and implying that the bright moon provides inspiration or hope.

And everything would be alright.
Suggesting that a new relationship could help resolve any problems or issues the singer currently faces.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J OTIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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