He grew up in Glasgow and attended Shawlands Academy. John Martyn moved to London from Glasgow in the mid 1960s. He made his initial recorded impact in 1967, at the age of 19, with his debut album London Conversation. He then quickly became an integral part of the British music scene, incorporating Folk, Blues, and Jazz into his unique sound.
In the late 60s to early 70s he was close friends with Nick Drake, for whom he wrote the song Solid Air. The album of the same name remains an extremely moving album, as does the later Grace and Danger which documents his divorce from his wife Beverley with whom he recorded several albums (as John & Beverley Martyn).
During the 70s John lived in Hastings on the South Coast of England. Whilst in Hastings he released, amongst others, the Live At Leeds album which he sold from his own house. Also during his time in Hastings John tried to help Paul Kossoff put his life back together.
A long held alcohol problem didn't prevent Martyn from releasing twenty-two albums. In 2003 he contracted an infection that resulted in the amputation of part of a leg, an episode documented in the 2004 BBC documentary "Johnny Too Bad". He recovered, however, and continued to play, record and tour. In 2008, he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Folk Awards. He has influenced many songwriters and guitarists and is an artist whose stature only grows with time. He worked with artists such as Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, David Gilmour and Levon Helm.
Sadly, he passed away on 29th January 2009.
A tribute album entitled Johnny Boy Would Love this…a Tribute to John Martyn was released on 15 August 2011, comprising cover versions of his songs by various artists who he had worked with or influenced.
The Easy Blues
John Martyn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can I please be your slave?
When Gabriel blows his horn
I'm going to rise from my grave
For your sweet jelly roll
You bake the best jelly roll in town
You're the only man bakes jelly
And you keep your devil down
They say "Can I place an order for three weeks ahead"
I'd rather have your jelly than my home-baked bread
'Cause I'm just crazy about you jelly
I'm so wild about your jelly roll
You're the only man bakes jelly
And you keeps it in your soul
You can take all my women
You can sure keep them all
I got a brand new secret
That you can't catch on to at all
I'm a jelly roll baker
I bake the best jelly roll in town
I'm the only man bakes jelly
And I keep my devil down.
I'm the only man bakes jelly and I keep my devil down
I'm the only man bakes jelly and I keep my devil down
I'm the only man bakes jelly and I keep my devil down
The lyrics to John Martyn's song "The Easy Blues" are about a man who is infatuated with the skills of a jelly roll baker, and who is so enamoured with the baker and his baking that he would be willing to be the baker's slave. The song seems to be set in the context of the African American juke joint scene of the 1920s and 30s, with its references to Gabriel blowing his horn and the baker being the only man who bakes jelly. The song is essentially a tribute to the artistry of the jelly roll baker, whose abilities are regarded with a kind of reverential awe.
The lyrics also suggest that the jelly roll baker has some kind of special power or aura, as he is able to keep his "devil down" through his baking. This suggests that the jelly baker's talents are not just culinary, but also spiritual, and that his jelly is more than just a delicious treat, but also a kind of healing balm for the soul. Overall, the song is a celebration of the power of music and art to transcend the mundane and uplift the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Mister jelly roll baker
Addressing the person who makes the best jelly rolls in town
Can I please be your slave?
Requesting to learn the art of making jelly rolls from the baker and serving under him
When Gabriel blows his horn, I'm going to rise from my grave
Looking forward to the day when he can eat the baker's delicious jelly rolls in heaven
For your sweet jelly roll, You bake the best jelly roll in town
Appreciating the baker's superior skills of making the most delicious jelly rolls in the town
You’re the only man bakes jelly, And you keep your devil down
The baker is the only one who knows the art of making the perfect jelly rolls and he takes pride in this art
They say "Can I place an order for three weeks ahead?"
People are willing to wait for a long time to taste the baker's yummy jelly rolls
I'd rather have your jelly than my home-baked bread
Preferring the baker's heavenly jelly rolls over his own baked bread
I'm just crazy about your jelly
Expressing his love for the baker's mouth-watering jelly rolls
I'm so wild about your jelly roll
Going beyond crazy, expressing that he is wild about the baker's jelly roll
You keep your devil down
The baker is focused on baking the perfect jelly roll and is not distracted by the temptations of the devil
You can take all my women, You can sure keep them all
Acknowledging that the baker's jelly roll is so good that even if he takes away all the women, he doesn't mind
I got a brand new secret, That you can't catch on to at all
Having his own secret recipe to improve the taste of the jelly roll that even the baker cannot guess
I'm the only man bakes jelly And I keep my devil down
Proudly proclaiming that he too knows the art of making delicious jelly rolls, and he too does not get distracted by the devil
Contributed by Kaylee G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.