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
Ramblin' On My Mind
John Mayall Lyrics
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I got rambling all on my mind.
I got rambling,
I got rambling all on my mind.
I hates to leave my baby,
But she treats me so unkind.
I got mean things,
I got mean things,
I got mean things all on my mind.
I hates to leave my baby,
But she treats me so unkind.
I'm going down to the station,
Catch the fastest train I see.
I'm going down to the station,
Catch the fastest train I see.
I got the blues 'bout miss so-and-so
And her son's got the blues about me.
I got rambling,
I got rambling all on my mind.
I got rambling,
I got rambling all on my mind.
I hates to leave my baby,
But she treats me so unkind.
The lyrics of "Ramblin' On My Mind" express the restless and wandering thoughts of a man who is troubled by his relationship with a woman. He feels the need to leave and go somewhere else, possibly to escape his problems, but at the same time, he hates the idea of abandoning his lover. He is tormented by both his own negative thoughts and the way he is being treated, leading him to consider taking drastic action and leaving her. The repeated use of the phrase "all on my mind" emphasizes how all-consuming these thoughts are.
The final verse of the song reveals that the song's protagonist has a complicated love triangle involving both himself and his lover, and the son of another woman. The phrase "her son's got the blues about me" suggests that there is a romantic rivalry between the singer and the other woman's son. The song's bluesy melody and Eric Clapton's guitar playing add to its mournful and powerful tone, making it a classic example of the blues genre.
Line by Line Meaning
I got rambling,
I feel the urge to wander aimlessly without a particular destination.
I got rambling all on my mind.
My mind is consumed by the desire to wander and explore.
I hates to leave my baby,
I am reluctant to part ways with my lover.
But she treats me so unkind.
However, she does not treat me well and I am not happy in the relationship.
I got mean things,
I have resentful and bitter thoughts.
I got mean things all on my mind.
My thoughts are consumed with negative and bitter feelings.
I'm going down to the station,
I am headed to the train station.
Catch the fastest train I see.
I will board the first train that is available to me.
I got the blues 'bout miss so-and-so
I am feeling blue and depressed about a particular person named 'miss so-and-so.'
And her son's got the blues about me.
In addition, 'miss so-and-so's' son is also feeling blue and depressed about our relationship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ELMORE JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind