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
Looking Back
John Mayall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A pretty girl did I meet
She's looking all so sweet
Got a major from her head to her feet
I was looking back to see
If she was looking back to see
If I was looking back at her
She glowed with such a beautiful smile
She must have been a beautiful child
Man she was all so neat
A major from her head to her feet
I was looking back to see
If she was looking back to see
If I was looking back at her
Her hair was curly shining bright
Her shoes in black were just delight
She wore the very best of clothes
And also black and nylon hose
I was looking back to see
If she was looking back to see
If I was looking back at her
As I was walking down the street
A pretty girl did I meet
She was looking all so sweet
Got a major from her head to her feet
I was looking back
She was looking back
I was looking back at her
I was looking back to see
If she was looking back to see
If I was looking back at her
The lyrics of John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers's "Looking Back" tell a story of a chance encounter with a beautiful girl on the street. The first verse describes how the singer is walking down the street and sees the girl. She's pretty, sweet, and has a great fashion sense from head to toe. The second verse describes the girl's beauty in greater detail. She has curly hair, shiny shoes, wears nice clothes, and black nylon hosiery. The chorus repeats the phrase "I was looking back to see/If she was looking back to see/If I was looking back at her" several times. The singer cannot stop thinking about her and wonders if she shares the same curiosity.
The song is a classic example of how blues music often tells a story of everyday experiences. The music is smooth, rhythmic, and soulful, which reinforces the lyrics' sentimentality. The singer's experience with the girl is relatable as many people have had similar experiences. The song evokes the melancholic feeling of wanting something you cannot have, which is what makes it a classic blues tune.
Line by Line Meaning
As I was walking down the street
The singer is setting the scene by describing his journey
A pretty girl did I meet
The singer saw an attractive woman while walking
She's looking all so sweet
The woman was very attractive and pleasing to see
Got a major from her head to her feet
The woman had extraordinary beauty from head to toe
I was looking back to see
The artist was checking to see if the woman was looking back at him
If she was looking back to see
The singer was wondering if the woman had noticed him
If I was looking back at her
The singer was questioning whether the woman had noticed him looking at her
She glowed with such a beautiful smile
The woman had an incredibly beautiful and radiant smile
She must have been a beautiful child
The artist is speculating that the woman was also beautiful as a child
Man she was all so neat
The woman was very well put together and looked polished
Her hair was curly shining bright
The woman's curly hair was shiny and caught the singer's attention
Her shoes in black were just delight
The woman's black shoes were pleasing to look at
She wore the very best of clothes
The woman was dressed in the finest clothing
And also black and nylon hose
The woman's black nylon stockings were another attractive detail about her appearance
I was looking back
The singer was still checking to see if the woman was looking back at him
She was looking back
The woman also noticed the artist looking at her
I was looking back at her
The artist confirms that he was indeed looking back at the woman
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind