Playin
John Lee Hooker Lyrics


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I don't want no woman
Playin' the races all the time
I don't want no woman
Playin' the races all the time

You know she ain't good for nothin'
She's too broke most all the time
Dreamed her number last night, yes, yes, yes
And my baby, she did the same
Dreamed her number last night
And my baby did the same

My baby got up this mornin'
And she played it just the same
Yes, man

I come home every Friday
Throws my check down on the bed
I come home every Friday
Throw my check down on the bed

My baby takes all a my money
Put it down on five, six and two, yes, yes





I don't want no woman
Play the races all the time

Overall Meaning

"Playin' The Races" by John Lee Hooker is a blues song that tells a story about a man who is tired of being with a woman who is obsessed with gambling. He doesn't want her to spend all her time betting on horse races because she is always broke and not good for anything. The song starts with the singer plainly stating that he doesn't want a woman who constantly indulges in betting on horse races. He believes that such a woman is "too broke most all the time" and can't contribute to anything meaningful.


The second verse of the song reveals that both the man and his baby dreamed about a number the previous night, and she played the number the same day. However, the man's frustration dominates the song, and the third verse explains how the woman steps on his earnings by taking all his money and wagering it on horse races. The man throws his paychecks on the bed every Friday, and his woman's bet ends up being his income's destiny, landing on numbers like "five, six and two."


In conclusion, "Playin' The Races" is a blues song that emphasizes addiction's destructive power, exhibited by a woman who can't quit her gambling addiction, to the detriment of her relationship with her man. John Lee Hooker's calm demeanor and intricate guitar playing amplify the song's message, making it a blues classic.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't want no woman
John Lee Hooker expresses his disillusionment with women.


Playin' the races all the time
He doesn't want a woman who is addicted to gambling.


You know she ain't good for nothin'
Hooker feels that gambling is an unproductive and wasteful activity.


She's too broke most all the time
Gambling causes financial instability and ruins a person's finances.


Dreamed her number last night, yes, yes, yes
Hooker saw a number in his dream that he believes is lucky for him.


And my baby, she did the same
His partner also had a similar dream and believes in the same number.


My baby got up this mornin'
His partner woke up the next morning with the same idea.


And she played it just the same
She went ahead and placed a bet on that number like him.


I come home every Friday
Hooker has a cycle of coming home every Friday after work.


Throws my check down on the bed
He throws his salary check on the bed as a way of unwinding after work.


My baby takes all a my money
However, his partner takes all his money for gambling.


Put it down on five, six and two, yes, yes
She bets a large amount of his money on a combination of numbers without his consent.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD BESMAN, JOHN LEE HOOKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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