1. John Paul Hammond (born 13th November 1942), also known as "John Hammond… Read Full Bio ↴1. John Paul Hammond (born 13th November 1942), also known as "John Hammond Jr", is a blues singer and guitarist. He usually plays acoustic guitars and dobros and sings in a barrelhouse style. Since 1962, when he made his debut on Vanguard Records, Hammond has made 29 albums. In the 1990s he recorded for the Pointblank label. Hammond has earned one Grammy Award and been nominated for four others. He is the son of the legendary record producer John H. Hammond.

Although critically acclaimed, John Hammond has had only moderate commercial success. Nonetheless, he enjoys a strong fan base and has earned respect from the likes of John Lee Hooker, Roosevelt Sykes, Duane Allman, Robbie Robertson, and Charlie Musselwhite, all of whom have contributed their musical talents to Hammond's records. In addition, he is the only person who ever had Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix in his band at the same time, even if it was only for five days in the 1960s when Hammond played the Gaslight Café in New York. To his regret, they never recorded together.

John Hammond has had a longstanding friendship with songwriter Tom Waits, and has performed Waits' songs on occasion. In 2001, he released Wicked Grin, an album entirely of Tom Waits compositions. Waits himself provided guitar work and backing vocals as well as producing the project.

2. John Hammond was a old time banjo player from the 1920's. He recorded the bluegrass classic 'Little Birdie' in 1925.

Rag Mama
John Hammond Lyrics

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I am going downtown with my hat in my hand
Lookin′ for a woman ain't got no man
Might as well be lookin′ for a needle in the sand
Lookin' for a woman ain't got no man
Now, dee dee dum a deedly dum, rag mama
Come on, baby, let′s do that rag

Now, you get one woman, you better get two

One for your buddy and one for you
You better get a wife and a sweetheart too
Wife don′t love you but your sweetheart do
Now, dee dee dum a deedly dum, rag mama
Come on, baby, let's do that rag

I never thought my gal would treat me so
Lover man in my back door
Now, come on mama, what you know
You gonna reap just what you sow
Now, dee dee dum a deedly dum, rag mama
Come on, baby, let′s do that rag

Hey, saw my gal with a man, she was holdin' his hand
I had a pistol in my pocket, blackjack in my back
Run outside with a half a brick
Sayin′, I'm gonna get that so-and-so
Dee dee dum a deedly dum, rag mama

Come on, baby, let′s do that rag
All right, we gonna rag on out now

Overall Meaning

The song "Rag Mama" by John Hammond discusses a man's search for a woman who doesn't have a man. He feels as though he's looking for something impossible, comparing it to finding a needle in a pile of sand. However, he's hopeful that he'll find her and encourages the woman he's singing to, known in the song as "rag mama," to join him on his journey. He then advises other men to find two women, one for themselves and one for their buddy. He also suggests having a wife and a sweetheart, claiming that the wife may not love you, but the sweetheart will. The song talks about deceit and infidelity, as the singer laments his lover's betrayal and admits to having a gun and blackjack to seek vengeance. The lyrics convey a complicated view of relationships and the ways in which people search for love and companionship.

Line by Line Meaning

I am going downtown with my hat in my hand
I am going out feeling helpless and hopeless

Lookin' for a woman ain't got no man
I am searching for a woman who is unattached

Might as well be lookin' for a needle in the sand
It is impossible to find such a woman

Now, dee dee dum a deedly dum, rag mama
Let's sing and dance while we still can

Come on, baby, let's do that rag
Let's have some fun and forget about our troubles

Now, you get one woman, you better get two
It's always wise to have a backup plan

One for your buddy and one for you
You need to have options for yourself and your friend

You better get a wife and a sweetheart too
It's better to have a companion and a lover

Wife don't love you but your sweetheart do
Your lover is the one who truly cares for you

I never thought my gal would treat me so
I didn't expect my girl to betray me

Lover man in my back door
My lover is cheating on me