John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers were a pioneering English blues band, led b… Read Full Bio ↴John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers were a pioneering English blues band, led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, OBE. Mayall used the band name between 1963 and '67 then dropped it for some fifteen years, but in 1982 a 'Return of the Bluesbreakers' was announced and the name began to be re-used. The name became generic without a clear distinction which recordings could be credited just to the leader or to leader and his band. The Bluesbreakers have included luminaries such as:

* Eric Clapton (April–August 1965, November 1965–July 1966) and Jack Bruce, who both left to form Cream,

* Peter Green, who had replaced Clapton, played until August 1967, when he departed with Mick Fleetwood and then also enticed Bluesbreaker John McVie a few weeks later to form Fleetwood Mac

* Mick Taylor (August 1967–July 1969) who later joined The Rolling Stones, and reunion tours in 1982–83 and 2004,

* Harvey Mandel, Walter Trout, Larry Taylor (later in Canned Heat),

* Don "Sugarcane" Harris, Randy Resnick, Aynsley Dunbar, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Andy Fraser (Free), Chris Mercer, Henry Lowther, Johnny Almond and Jon Mark (later of Mark-Almond).

The Bluesbreakers were formed in January 1963 and became an ever-evolving lineup of more than 100 different combinations of musicians performing under that name. Eric Clapton joined in 1965 just a few months after the release of their first album. Clapton brought the blues influences to the forefront of the group, as he had left The Yardbirds in order to play the blues.

The group lost their record contract with Decca that year, which also saw the release of a single called "I'm Your Witchdoctor" (produced by Jimmy Page), followed by a return to Decca in 1966. The album Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (also known as The Beano Album because Clapton is shown on the cover photo reading a copy of the comic) was released later that year; it reached the Top Ten in the UK.

Clapton and Jack Bruce left the group that year to form Cream. Clapton was replaced by Peter Green for A Hard Road, after which he left to form Fleetwood Mac. Finally, in 1969, the third Bluesbreaker-guitarist departed when Mick Taylor joined the Rolling Stones.

By the time the 1960s were over, the Bluesbreakers had finally achieved some success in the United States.

With some interruptions, the Bluesbreakers have continued to tour and release albums (over 50 to date), though they never achieved the critical or popular acclaim of their earlier material. In 2003, Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Chris Barber reunited with the band for John Mayall's 70th Birthday Concert in Liverpool — the concert was later released on CD and DVD. In 2004, their line up included Buddy Whittington, Joe Yuele, Hank Van Sickle and Tom Canning, and the band toured the UK with Mick Taylor as a guest musician.

In November 2008 Mayall announced on his website he was disbanding the Bluesbreakers to cut back on his heavy workload and give himself freedom to work with other musicians.

Double Crossing Time
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's a mean old scene
When it comes to double crossing time.
It's a mean old scene
When it comes to double crossing time.
When you think you got good buddies,
They will spin around and cheat you blind.

Double crossing man is mean,

He will try to make it so you lose.
Double crossing man,
He will try to make it so you lose.

You'll fill your mind with worry,
You know he hurt me with the blues.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to John Mayall's Double Crossing Time paint a picture of betrayal and distrust in relationships. The song warns against the dangers of trusting people too easily as they may deceive or cheat us. The artist creates a bleak portrayal of the world where friendships are insincere, and betrayal looms around every corner. The chorus repeats the phrase "It's a mean old scene when it comes to double crossing time" to hammer home the point that one has to tread carefully in life because the potential for betrayal exists everywhere.

The second verse highlights how the double-crossing man will do everything in his power to ensure that you lose, and you are left with worry and pain. Incredibly emotive and poignant, the lyrics delve into the theme of deception and heartbreak, drawing on Mayall's personal experiences of betrayal. By the end of the song, you are left with a sense of hopelessness as there seem to be no true friends, only those who pretend to be, causing hurt and pain.

Overall, the lyrics are an insightful commentary on the complexity of human relationships that can be both beautiful and destructive. The Double Crossing Time is a powerful reminder to always stay alert and maintain a skeptical outlook when dealing with people, especially acquaintances.

Line by Line Meaning

It's a mean old scene
The situation is unpleasant and harsh

When it comes to double crossing time.
When people start to deceive and betray each other

When you think you got good buddies,
When you believe that you have trustworthy friends

They will spin around and cheat you blind.
They will turn on you and deceive you without remorse

Double crossing man is mean,
A person who double crosses is cruel and unscrupulous

He will try to make it so you lose.
He will do everything in his power to make you fail

You'll fill your mind with worry,
You'll be filled with anxiety and apprehension

You know he hurt me with the blues.
He caused me emotional pain and sorrow through his deceitful ways

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON, JOHN MAYALL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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