John Lee Hooker (Coahoma County, Mississippi, August 22, 1917 – Los Altos,… Read Full Bio ↴John Lee Hooker (Coahoma County, Mississippi, August 22, 1917 – Los Altos, California, June 21, 2001) was a highly influential American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter.
John Lee Hooker could be said to embody his own unique genre of the blues, often incorporating the boogie-woogie piano style and a driving rhythm into his masterful and idiosyncratic blues guitar and singing. His best known songs include "Boogie Chillen" (1948) and "Boom Boom" (1962).
There is some debate as to the year of John Lee Hooker's birth, 1915, 1917, 1920, and 1923 have all been cited, 1917 (the date on his grave marker in Oakland, California) is the one most commonly cited although Hooker himself claimed, at times, 1920.
Hooker was the youngest of the eleven children of William Hooker (1871–1923), a sharecropper and a Baptist preacher, and Minnie Ramsey (1875–?).
Hooker and his siblings were home-schooled. They were permitted to listen only to religious songs, with his earliest musical exposure being the spirituals sung in church.
In 1921, his parents separated. The next year, his mother married William Moore, a blues singer who provided John's first introduction to the guitar (and whom John would later credit for his distinctive playing style). The year after that (1923), John's natural father died; and at age 15, John ran away from home, never to see his mother and stepfather again.
He was a cousin of Earl Hooker,
Throughout the 1930s, Hooker lived in Memphis where he worked on Beale Street and occasionally performed at house parties. He worked in factories in various cities during World War II, drifting until he found himself in Detroit in 1948 working at Ford Motor Company. He felt right at home near the blues venues and saloons on Hastings Street, the heart of black entertainment on Detroit's east side. In a city noted for its piano players, guitar players were scarce. Performing in Detroit clubs, his popularity grew quickly, and seeking a louder instrument than his crude acoustic guitar, he bought his first electric guitar.
Though he stuttered slightly in his normal speech, he performed in a half-spoken style that became his trademark. Rhythmically, his music was free, a property common with early acoustic Delta blues musicians. His vocal phrasing was less closely tied to specific bars than most blues singers'. This casual, rambling style had been gradually diminishing with the onset of electric blues bands from Chicago but, even when not playing solo, Hooker retained it in his sound.
Hooker's recording career began in 1948 with the hit single, "Boogie Chillen" cut in a studio near Wayne State University.
Despite being illiterate, he was a prolific lyricist. In addition to adapting the occasionally traditional blues lyric (such as "if I was chief of police, I would run her right out of town"), he freely invented many of his songs from scratch. Recording studios in the 50s rarely paid black musicians more than a pittance, so Hooker would spend the night wandering from studio to studio, coming up with new songs or variations on his songs for each studio. Due to his recording contract, he would record these songs under obvious pseudonyms such as "John Lee Booker," "Johnny Hooker", or "John Cooker".
His early solo songs were recorded under Bernie Besman.
John Lee Hooker rarely played on a standard beat, changing tempo to fit the needs of the song. This made it nearly impossible to add backing tracks. As a result, Besman would record Hooker, in addition to playing guitar and singing, stomping along with the music on a wooden palette.
John Lee Hooker's guitar playing is closely aligned with piano Boogie Woogie. He would play the walking bass pattern with his thumb, stopping to emphasize the end of a line with a series of trills, done by rapid hammer-ons and pull-offs. The songs that most epitomize his early sound are "Boogie Chillen," about being 17 and wanting to go out to dance at the Boogie clubs, "Baby Please Don't Go," a more typical blues song, summed up by its title, and "Tupelo," a stunningly sad song about the flooding of Tupelo, Mississippi.
He maintained a solo career, popular with blues and folk music fans of the early 1960s and crossed over to white audiences, giving an early opportunity to the young Bob Dylan. As he got older, he added more and more people to his band, changing his live show from simply Hooker with his guitar to a large band, with Hooker singing.
In 1989 he joined with a number of musicians, including Keith Richards and Carlos Santana to record The Healer, which won a Grammy award — one of many awards.
He fell ill just before a tour of Europe in 2001 and died soon afterwards at the age of 83.
Hooker recorded over 100 albums and lived the last years of his life in San Francisco, California, where he licensed a nightclub to use the name Boom Boom Room, after one of his hits.
Among his many awards, John Lee Hooker has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1991 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two of his songs, "Boogie Chillen" and "Boom Boom" were named to the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
John Lee recorded several songs with Van Morrison, including "Never Get Out of These Blues Alive", "The Healing Game" and "I Cover the Waterfront". He also appeared on stage with Van Morrison several times, some of which was released on the live album "A Night in San Francisco".
John Lee also recorded in the sixties with british blues band The Groundhogs. These recordings are still available as a CD "John Lee Hooker with The Groundhogs". More importantly, Hooker recorded with the Blues-rock outfit Canned Heat, delivering the album 'Hooker N' Heat' in 1971. Hooker was influential and topical even in his lifetime, as evidenced in the MC5 cover of "Motor City's Burning" on their first album, recorded almost immediately after the riots which are the song's topic.
John Lee Hooker could be said to embody his own unique genre of the blues, often incorporating the boogie-woogie piano style and a driving rhythm into his masterful and idiosyncratic blues guitar and singing. His best known songs include "Boogie Chillen" (1948) and "Boom Boom" (1962).
There is some debate as to the year of John Lee Hooker's birth, 1915, 1917, 1920, and 1923 have all been cited, 1917 (the date on his grave marker in Oakland, California) is the one most commonly cited although Hooker himself claimed, at times, 1920.
Hooker was the youngest of the eleven children of William Hooker (1871–1923), a sharecropper and a Baptist preacher, and Minnie Ramsey (1875–?).
Hooker and his siblings were home-schooled. They were permitted to listen only to religious songs, with his earliest musical exposure being the spirituals sung in church.
In 1921, his parents separated. The next year, his mother married William Moore, a blues singer who provided John's first introduction to the guitar (and whom John would later credit for his distinctive playing style). The year after that (1923), John's natural father died; and at age 15, John ran away from home, never to see his mother and stepfather again.
He was a cousin of Earl Hooker,
Throughout the 1930s, Hooker lived in Memphis where he worked on Beale Street and occasionally performed at house parties. He worked in factories in various cities during World War II, drifting until he found himself in Detroit in 1948 working at Ford Motor Company. He felt right at home near the blues venues and saloons on Hastings Street, the heart of black entertainment on Detroit's east side. In a city noted for its piano players, guitar players were scarce. Performing in Detroit clubs, his popularity grew quickly, and seeking a louder instrument than his crude acoustic guitar, he bought his first electric guitar.
Though he stuttered slightly in his normal speech, he performed in a half-spoken style that became his trademark. Rhythmically, his music was free, a property common with early acoustic Delta blues musicians. His vocal phrasing was less closely tied to specific bars than most blues singers'. This casual, rambling style had been gradually diminishing with the onset of electric blues bands from Chicago but, even when not playing solo, Hooker retained it in his sound.
Hooker's recording career began in 1948 with the hit single, "Boogie Chillen" cut in a studio near Wayne State University.
Despite being illiterate, he was a prolific lyricist. In addition to adapting the occasionally traditional blues lyric (such as "if I was chief of police, I would run her right out of town"), he freely invented many of his songs from scratch. Recording studios in the 50s rarely paid black musicians more than a pittance, so Hooker would spend the night wandering from studio to studio, coming up with new songs or variations on his songs for each studio. Due to his recording contract, he would record these songs under obvious pseudonyms such as "John Lee Booker," "Johnny Hooker", or "John Cooker".
His early solo songs were recorded under Bernie Besman.
John Lee Hooker rarely played on a standard beat, changing tempo to fit the needs of the song. This made it nearly impossible to add backing tracks. As a result, Besman would record Hooker, in addition to playing guitar and singing, stomping along with the music on a wooden palette.
John Lee Hooker's guitar playing is closely aligned with piano Boogie Woogie. He would play the walking bass pattern with his thumb, stopping to emphasize the end of a line with a series of trills, done by rapid hammer-ons and pull-offs. The songs that most epitomize his early sound are "Boogie Chillen," about being 17 and wanting to go out to dance at the Boogie clubs, "Baby Please Don't Go," a more typical blues song, summed up by its title, and "Tupelo," a stunningly sad song about the flooding of Tupelo, Mississippi.
He maintained a solo career, popular with blues and folk music fans of the early 1960s and crossed over to white audiences, giving an early opportunity to the young Bob Dylan. As he got older, he added more and more people to his band, changing his live show from simply Hooker with his guitar to a large band, with Hooker singing.
In 1989 he joined with a number of musicians, including Keith Richards and Carlos Santana to record The Healer, which won a Grammy award — one of many awards.
He fell ill just before a tour of Europe in 2001 and died soon afterwards at the age of 83.
Hooker recorded over 100 albums and lived the last years of his life in San Francisco, California, where he licensed a nightclub to use the name Boom Boom Room, after one of his hits.
Among his many awards, John Lee Hooker has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1991 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two of his songs, "Boogie Chillen" and "Boom Boom" were named to the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
John Lee recorded several songs with Van Morrison, including "Never Get Out of These Blues Alive", "The Healing Game" and "I Cover the Waterfront". He also appeared on stage with Van Morrison several times, some of which was released on the live album "A Night in San Francisco".
John Lee also recorded in the sixties with british blues band The Groundhogs. These recordings are still available as a CD "John Lee Hooker with The Groundhogs". More importantly, Hooker recorded with the Blues-rock outfit Canned Heat, delivering the album 'Hooker N' Heat' in 1971. Hooker was influential and topical even in his lifetime, as evidenced in the MC5 cover of "Motor City's Burning" on their first album, recorded almost immediately after the riots which are the song's topic.
I'm In The Mood
John Lee Hooker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
I said night time is the right time, to be with the one you love
You know when night come baby, God know, you're so far away
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, in the mood, baby, I'm in the mood for love
I said yes, my mother told me, to leave that girl alone
But my mother didn't know, God know, girl was puttin' down
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood, baby, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
I said night time is the right time, to be with the one you love
You know when night come baby, God know, you're so far away
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, in the mood, baby, I'm in the mood for love
But my mother didn't know, God know, girl was puttin' down
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood, baby, I'm in the mood for love
In John Lee Hooker's "I'm in the Mood," the singer declares his desire for love and affection. He acknowledges that nighttime is the perfect time to be with the person he loves. However, he also notes that his lover is so far away.
The second verse reveals that the singer's mother warned him to stay away from the girl he's interested in. However, the singer is convinced that his mother was wrong - the girl is truly amazing, and he can't resist her charm.
Overall, the song is about the intense longing and passion that the singer feels for his lover. The upbeat rhythm and Hooker's distinctive vocal style help to emphasize the urgency of the singer's desires.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood for love
I am currently feeling romantic and desiring to be with a loved one.
I said night time is the right time, to be with the one you love
In the nighttime, it feels most appropriate and romantic to spend time with one's significant other.
You know when night come baby, God know, you're so far away
When nighttime arrives, it can feel like one's beloved is very far away and out of reach.
I said yes, my mother told me, to leave that girl alone
My mother advised me to end a relationship with a certain girl.
But my mother didn't know, God know, girl was puttin' down
However, my mother was unaware that the girl was actually very impressive and worthy of my attention.
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
Once again, I am currently feeling romantic and desiring to be with a loved one.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD BESMAN, JOHN LEE HOOKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@gaudrey692
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood for love, yes, I am
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, in the mood
I'm in the mood for love, Lord, Lord
Hooked on you, I say, hey
Night time is the right time, be with the one you love
But night, night come, baby
You're so far away, away, away
I'm in the mood for love, Lord, Lord
I'm in the mood, in the mood, mood
I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood, oh Lord
I'm in the mood for love
Bonnie Raitt, yeah, yes
My daddy told me
(I know he did)
Leave that man alone
Yes, he did
But my daddy didn't tell me, Lord
What that man was puttin' down
(Hmm, puttin' down, down, down, down, down)
In the mood, baby
(No, he didn't)
I'm in the mood for some of your love
(Baby)
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood for love
(Oh, love, ah)
All right, John Lee, play it, play it, play it, baby
(Yeah)
Lord, love you, Bonnie Raitt
I don't want be with no, no, no, one else
I can't get my thrill, babe, hon', unless I be with you, you, you
'Cause night, night time is right time
Oh, Lord, oh, Lord, to be with the one you love
I'm in the mood, in the mood, baby
Oh, Lord, I'm in the mood for love
Lord, have mercy on me
Have mercy on me, on me, on me
Ha, have mercy on me, on me, on me, on me
Lord, Lord, I'm in the mood for you, babe, the mood for you, babe
And now, now, Bonnie, now Bonnie, now Bonnie
What can I do, what can I do, baby?
(Hmm, hmm)
I, I love you, I love you, I love you, you
(Hmm, hmm, I hear you knock)
I love you, I love you, Bonnie
What can I do, what can I do?
(Hmm, hmm, hmm, I hear you call)
I'm in the mood
Some of your love, some of your love, ha
(I'm in the mood)
Some of your love, some of your love
(I'm commin' on)
I'm in the mood, hmm
I'm in the mood, baby, yeah
(Ha, ha, ha)
I'm in the mood for some love
(No, no)
@lucip4011
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood for love, yes, I am
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, in the mood
I'm in the mood for love, Lord, Lord
Hooked on you, I say, hey
Night time is the right time, be with the one you love
But night, night come, baby
You're so far away, away, away
I'm in the mood for love, Lord, Lord
I'm in the mood, in the mood, mood
I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood, oh Lord
I'm in the mood for love
Bonnie Raitt, yeah, yes
My daddy told me
(I know he did)
Leave that man alone
Yes, he did
But my daddy didn't tell me, Lord
What that man was puttin' down
(Hmm, puttin' down, down, down, down, down)
In the mood, baby
(No, he didn't)
I'm in the mood for some of your love
(Baby)
I'm in the mood
I'm in the mood for love
(Oh, love, ah)
All right, John Lee, play it, play it, play it, baby
(Yeah)
Lord, love you, Bonnie Raitt
I don't want be with no, no, no, one else
I can't get my thrill, babe, hon', unless I be with you, you, you
'Cause night, night time is right time
Oh, Lord, oh, Lord, to be with the one you love
I'm in the mood, in the mood, baby
Oh, Lord, I'm in the mood for love
Lord, have mercy on me
Have mercy on me, on me, on me
Ha, have mercy on me, on me, on me, on me
Lord, Lord, I'm in the mood for you, babe, the mood for you, babe
And now, now, Bonnie, now Bonnie, now Bonnie
What can I do, what can I do, baby?
(Hmm, hmm)
I, I love you, I love you, I love you, you
(Hmm, hmm, I hear you knock)
I love you, I love you, Bonnie
What can I do, what can I do?
(Hmm, hmm, hmm, I hear you call)
I'm in the mood
Some of your love, some of your love, ha
(I'm in the mood)
Some of your love, some of your love
(I'm commin' on)
I'm in the mood, hmm
I'm in the mood, baby, yeah
(Ha, ha, ha)
I'm in the mood for some love
(No, no)
@paulashcroft6225
How good does Bonnie sound here. The absolute best
@leesnider
She is an incredible slide player!!!
@kylewalsh8809
That slide Bonnie goes with is off the fucking walls dude it's taking the base of the song and making it swing
@maryreynolds5310
Always and ALWAYS!
@ericmeyers5576
@@leesnider Just never try to get a Autograph from the CLASSLESS AIRHEAD Bonnie Raitt.
@radialistarenatoaffonso
I love that rhythm!
@wandajohnston8352
thank you john lee and bonnie ... this the best ever blues !!! my favorite!!
@ConcernPatriot-76
Love the Blues…a Master!
@erick-gd7wo
Listened this wonderful track back in the 90s, man... this one will never gets old
@biancavandermeer
Cccccccccccccccccc