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.

The Stumble
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don′t want no evil woman
Make a fool out of me
My girl, she's so sweet
She′s my honey bee
She feels the same way about me
She feels the same way about me
She feels the same way
Wake up in the morning

Get my breakfast in my bed
My girl, she's so good
Love her till I'm dead
She feels the same way about me
She feels the same way about me
She feels the same way
Don′t want no other woman
I could never be satisfied
My girl looks so good
Standing by my side
She feels the same way about me

She feels the same way about me
She feels the same way

Overall Meaning

In "The Stumble" by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, the lyrics express a desire for a loyal and loving partner who will not lead the singer astray. The opening line "Don't want no evil woman, make a fool out of me" shows a fear of being taken advantage of or manipulated in a relationship. Instead, the singer praises his current partner, describing her as "so sweet" and "my honey bee." This is further emphasized when the singer states that she feels the same way about him.

The second stanza shows a domesticated and intimate side to the relationship as the singer describes waking up in the morning and receiving breakfast in bed from his partner. The lyrics "love her till I'm dead" indicate a deep and committed love that will last a lifetime. The final stanza reinforces the idea that the singer is content and satisfied with his current partner, and could never be fulfilled by another. The final line again emphasizes the mutual feelings of love and devotion by stating that she feels the same way about him.

Overall, the lyrics of "The Stumble" express a desire for a loyal and loving partner who will not lead the singer astray, but instead provide deep love and intimate connection.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't want no evil woman
I do not want a woman who will harm me

Make a fool out of me
Embarrass me or make me look stupid

My girl, she's so sweet
My girlfriend is caring and loving

She's my honey bee
I am very fond of her, like one is of a honey bee

She feels the same way about me
My girlfriend also loves and cares about me deeply

Wake up in the morning
Every morning when I wake up

Get my breakfast in my bed
I am served breakfast while still in bed

My girl, she's so good
My girlfriend is very skilled at taking care of me

Love her till I'm dead
I will love her forever, as long as I live

Don't want no other woman
I do not desire any other woman

I could never be satisfied
I would not be content with anyone else