* 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.
Dust My Blues
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna get up in the morning, I believe I'll dust my blues
I gotta leave my baby, I ain't got no time to lose
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
Well I'm tired of the way she treats me, 'cause I'm about to lose my mind
I'm gonna write a letter, I better send her a telegram
She left me soon this morning, and she's got me in an awfull jam
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
The lyrics of "Dust My Blues" by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers convey the feelings of a man who is tired of being mistreated by his woman. The singer decides to leave her and dust his blues away. He doesn't want to be with someone who treats him wrong all the time, and he is about to lose his mind because of it. The singer is planning to write a letter or send a telegram to his woman to tell her that she has put him in an awful jam by leaving him this morning.
The last two lines of the song, "I believe my time ain't long," suggest that the singer is aware of his mortality and that he doesn't have much time left to waste on someone who doesn't treat him right. The song is a classic example of a blues song that features heartfelt lyrics about love and heartbreak. The blues is all about expressing emotions and telling a story, and "Dust My Blues" does just that.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna get up in the morning, I believe I'll dust my blues
I plan to start my day early and shake off my sadness
Gonna get up in the morning, I believe I'll dust my blues
I intend to wake up at dawn and overcome this feeling of dejection
I gotta leave my baby, I ain't got no time to lose
I have to depart from my lover, there isn't a moment to waste
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
I don't need a lady who will mistreat me frequently
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
I would rather have no female companion than one who abuses me incessantly
Well I'm tired of the way she treats me, 'cause I'm about to lose my mind
I am getting weary of her behavior towards me as it is driving me to insanity
I'm gonna write a letter, I better send her a telegram
I must compose a document, or perhaps a telegram, to convey my message
I'm gonna write a letter, I better send her a telegram
I should put my thoughts into writing and transmit them to her via some form of communication
She left me soon this morning, and she's got me in an awfull jam
She abandoned me earlier today, putting me in a terrible predicament
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I have a gut feeling that my time on this earth will be brief
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I sense that I may not have much longer to live
Contributed by Alexander M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anders Sundqvist
John and Bluesbreakers made one live appearance in my home town late 1966 and started up with this. It was absolutely fantastic. Peter Green was magic. We was blown away....
pavlaki1
They performed at my school dance. 6 months later reformed as Fleetwood Mac!
charles dahlin
First Mayall, first Peter tune I ever heard. Hooked me. 54 years later, still hooked.
Shinisou
Such a great song
Alejandro Bilbao
JOHN MAYALL .... EL ABC DEL BLUES
steppen wolf
JOHN MAYALL EL PAPA DE LOS BLUES.......
Silvertone58
Very nice sound.
KaptSonic22
Canned Heat were good at this as well, but Mayall knew where to find the real talent. Btw, that sure is some shiny vinyl there. Nice.
Howard Atkins
I saw Peter Green with the Bluesbteakers in "67 at Le Metro club in Birmingham,amazing!
Grahame Edwards
This is music Derrick McMillan needs to listen to. He would learn so much.