* 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.
I Don't Mind
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mud slides in the rain
The fire that took my old house
And things won't be the same
But I don't mind with my sweet woman by my side
Life ain't always easy but she always keeps me satisfied
We've had our share of quarrels
Through every situation
This love will keep us strong
And I don't mind whatever future has in store
Life ain't always easy but who could ask for more
We got a special family
Growing by degrees
We roll with all the punches
My woman stands by me
I don't mind as long as I can get back home
Got my sweet woman waiting
And I ain't gonna leave her alone
The lyrics of "I Don't Mind" by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers express a stoic acceptance of life's difficult moments, as long as the singer's "sweet woman" is by his side. The first verse mentions natural disasters like earthquakes and mudslides, as well as the personal tragedy of losing a home to fire. Despite these losses, the singer maintains a positive outlook because of his partner. In the second verse, he acknowledges that every relationship has its ups and downs, but their love is strong enough to withstand any challenge. The singer is grateful for his "special family" and the support that his partner provides, and he is content as long as he can return to her waiting arms.
Line by Line Meaning
I've felt the earth a-trembling
I have experienced shaking and trembling of the soil beneath me.
Mud slides in the rain
During heavy rain, there was a movement of mud down a slope, often causing damage or destruction.
The fire that took my old house
The fire engulfed and destroyed my previous residence.
And things won't be the same
The occurrences have altered the circumstances.
But I don't mind with my sweet woman by my side
Despite the chaos, I am content since I have my significant other with me.
Life ain't always easy but she always keeps me satisfied
Although existence is difficult, my partner consistently pleases me.
We've had our share of quarrels
We have undergone our fair share of arguments.
But they don't last too long
But fortunately, they never persist for too long.
Through every situation
No matter the scenario or circumstance.
This love will keep us strong
Our love and devotion to one another will grant us strength.
And I don't mind whatever future has in store
I am unconcerned about what lies ahead of me.
Life ain't always easy but who could ask for more
Although life is not always straightforward, it is doubtful that anyone could request anything better.
We got a special family
We have a unique and distinctive family unit.
Growing by degrees
The family is gradually increasing in size.
We roll with all the punches
We handle all obstacles that come our way.
My woman stands by me
My significant other supports me in any scenario.
I don't mind as long as I can get back home
As long as I can return home, I am indifferent to any other circumstances.
Got my sweet woman waiting
My significant other eagerly awaits my arrival.
And I ain't gonna leave her alone
And I will not abandon her by herself.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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