John Mayall is often referred to as the "Father of the British blues." His well-known band is still called John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. They started out in the late 1950s in England, using Chicago style blues as a starting basis for their sound, which has evolved from album to album. And while at one point John Mayall was playing a fairly jazzy sound, he has always come back to the blues.
One of the interesting features of the Bluesbreakers is that members have changed on a very regular basis, and many have gone on to well deserved fame and fortune with other bands and as solo acts. Past members include: Eric Clapton, and Jack Bruce, (also of Cream), Peter Green, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Mick Taylor, (who went on to a five -year stint with the Stones.) The studio album recorded with Clapton, entitled John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, was recorded in 1966, and is widely considered to be one of the great classic blues albums on either side of the stormy Atlantic. Cream came round right after.
John Mayall stands out for several reasons - his standing up for the blues, while experimenting with different approaches, his ability to attract the best of musicians; and perhaps most notably his willingness to work with musicians who far outshine him in sheer ability. And he himself sounds very good!
From:Wikipedia
Have You Ever Loved a Woman
John Mayall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So much you tremble in pain?
Have you ever loved a woman
So much you tremble in pain?
And all the time you know
She bears another man's name.
But you just love that woman
You just love that woman
So much it's a shame and a sin.
But all the time you know
She belongs to your very best friend.
Have you ever loved a woman
And you know you can't leave her alone?
Have you ever loved a woman
And you know you can't leave her alone?
Something deep inside of you
Won't let you wreck your best friend's home.
The opening lines of Have You Ever Loved A Woman by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers captures the essence of the blues - the power and intensity of love so strong that it brings a person to his knees in emotional pain. The singer in the song is passionately in love with a woman who is deeply connected to his best friend. He is consumed by this love, knowing that it is wrong and forbidden, but he cannot help himself. The lyrics perfectly capture the conflicting emotions of love and guilt experienced by the singer.
Throughout the song, Mayall's haunting vocals are backed by a driving blues beat, with his guitar wailing in desperation. He sings about the internal struggle of balancing his unrequited love with his own moral code of honor. The lyrics reflect a deep sense of longing and desperation, as if the singer is trapped in his feelings and cannot extricate himself from the torment.
In conclusion, "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" is a song about love that is both tragic and self-destructive, told in a raw, unsentimental manner that is the signature of the blues.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever loved a woman
Have you ever experienced such intense love for a woman?
So much you tremble in pain?
That it's painful and overpowering?
And all the time you know
Yet you're fully aware that
She bears another man's name.
She's already married to someone else.
But you just love that woman
However, you can't help but love this woman
So much it's a shame and a sin.
Even if it's considered unethical and immoral.
But all the time you know
Despite this, you acknowledge that
She belongs to your very best friend.
She's the partner of your closest friend.
And you know you can't leave her alone?
Do you have such intense feelings that you can't let go of her?
Something deep inside of you
Perhaps there's something buried deeply within you.
Won't let you wreck your best friend's home.
That's stopping you from potentially ruining your friend's marriage.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BILLY MYLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SysExJohn
Back in '66 I was lucky enough to watch them live. Even helped the roadies get John's Hammond onto the stage at a gig they did at our youth club. Now I'm old and grey, but their music lives on.
@congamc1
YO MY FRIEND.I WILL BE 67 ON SEPTEMBER 7TH..I AM STILL PLAYING WITH FIVE BANDS ON PERCUSSIONYOU ARE TO YOUNG TO BE OLD.JUST KEEP YOURSELF IN THE GROOVE,CHEERS.MEL FROM CHICAGO
@TheClemcaster
That really is a memory to cherish. I am extremely envious.
@fntime
Sys do you ever help roadies today?
Sys, why are you old and grey? Where do you get that?
Sys, are you still the Man or did you decide to be
a computer nerd who wears no socks and shows
pictures from his youth when he went to school to
learn the newest technology, "How To Ride A Bicycle
and Drink Sneaky Pete Wine and Remain Hetrosexual"
@williamcoyle2327
Great story!
@rumpledskin7971
From the 1969 Bluesbreakers album "Primal Solos" performed in 1966. EC belted out his best blues guitar work "bluesbreaking" with John Mayall. One of his best in my opinion is "Accidental Suicide" (Mayall's tribute to Jimi Hendrix), which also features Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) and Harvey Mendel (Canned Heat, Charlie Musselwhite) on guitars.
@josephlemko3027
Eric Clapton's guitar solo is one of his best.
@johnbennett3714
Been listening to this song for a good long time... never grows old. Those are simple blues licks Mr Clapton; sublime simplicity. Young players, you don’t need 2000 notes in a bar. You just need simple and soul.
@bruceb.3175
The way he played that Les Paul back then just can't be described with mere words! Brilliant!
@abradfordajb
Boy, that's a juicy guitar tone. No wonder we just can't let go of the past ..... these sounds just keep re-inspiring, with each new generation of player.