PROCESS
John Lee Hooker Lyrics


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I don't want no woman, crazy 'bout a process head
I don't want no woman, crazy 'bout a process head
She a process head; it's almost simple head

Ain't got no money, only got a hair-do fare
Ain't got no money, only got a hair-do fare
Ain't got a dime; enough to your hair did right
Been a fool one time, crazy over process head
Been a fool one time, crazy over process head
That no-good woman almost drove me insane
Have mercy, she begged

Lord, have mercy on this processing fool
Lord, have mercy on, on this processing fool
She won't have a process head, she's seen




Walking up and down the street
Have mercy, have mercy, with a processing fool

Overall Meaning

John Lee Hooker's song "Process" is a blues tune that speaks of an experience the singer had with a woman who was obsessed with maintaining her processed hair. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration with this woman's obsession which the singer dismisses as "almost simple". The singer laments that he doesn't want a woman who is crazy about her hairdo because it's not worth the money she spends on it, saying that he has enough money to get his hair did up nice. He admits that he had been foolish once and pursued a woman who was crazy about her processed hair, and that she almost drove him insane. He then calls on the Lord to have mercy on "this processing fool", referring to himself.


The theme of "Process" speaks to the beauty standards prevalent in society at the time and the lengths to which people would go to conform. It also suggests a certain level of disdain for those standards from the perspective of John Lee Hooker, who uses the song to express his frustration with the obsession over hair processing.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't want no woman, crazy 'bout a process head
I don't want a woman obsessed with hair processing


She a process head; it's almost simple head
Her obsession with processing hair is almost foolish


Ain't got no money, only got a hair-do fare
I have no money, just enough to get my hair done


Ain't got a dime; enough to your hair did right
I don't have much money, but enough to make my hair look good


Been a fool one time, crazy over process head
I was foolishly obsessed with a woman who cared too much about hair processing


That no-good woman almost drove me insane
That woman who cared too much about hair processing almost drove me crazy


Lord, have mercy on, on this processing fool
God, please forgive me for being obsessed with hair processing


She won't have a process head, she's seen walking up and down the street
She won't care too much about hair processing, she's seen walking around casually


Have mercy, have mercy, with a processing fool
Forgive me for being foolishly obsessed with hair processing




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN LEE HOOKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Perry Szarka

John Lee Hooker, What a talent; surely missed GOD Bless!

Mark Hubbell

Good one! Thanks Madeline!

Greg Gauthier

This man was seriously Agile. People over process! :D

michael wenzel

this song reminds me of Bart Simpson

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