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.

Little Girl
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You're gonna be mine, little girl
You've been through 18 years of pain
You're gonna be mine, little girl
You've been through 18 years of pain
I'm gonna give you a love, child
You won't feel bad again

You've been mistreated, little girl

But I swear, I swear it'll be outgrown
You've been mistreated, little girl
But I swear, but I swear it'll be outgrown
I'm gonna give you a love, child
Something you've never known

You're gonna be mine, little girl
Even if I can't have you by my side
You're gonna be mine, little girl
Even if I can't have you by my side

You're gonna remember the love, child
That made you satisfied

Overall Meaning

In this song, John Mayall sings about a young girl who has been through a lot of pain and mistreatment. He promises to be there for her and give her the love and care she deserves. He acknowledges her past struggles and wants to make things better for her.

The lyrics depict a man who is willing to take care of someone who has been neglected and hurt. He sees the potential in her and wants to be the one to make her feel loved and happy. The use of the phrase "love, child" suggests a deeper connection and commitment than just a casual relationship. The repeated line "you're gonna be mine, little girl" reinforces his determination to be there for her no matter what.

Overall, the song portrays a sense of hope and healing. It acknowledges the pain of the past but offers the possibility of a brighter future through love and care.

Line by Line Meaning

You're gonna be mine, little girl
The singer is confident that the girl will belong to him soon

You've been through 18 years of pain
The girl has suffered a lot in her life so far

I'm gonna give you a love, child You won't feel bad again
The singer promises to love the girl and make her happy

You've been mistreated, little girl But I swear, I swear it'll be outgrown
The girl has been treated badly in the past, but the singer will help her move on

Something you've never known
The girl will experience a type of love she has never felt before

Even if I can't have you by my side
The singer will love the girl even if she can't be with him

That made you satisfied
The love the girl receives from the singer will bring her happiness

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARIE FREDRIKSSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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