* 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.
You Don't Love Me
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't love me, yes, I know
You don't love me, baby
You don't love me, yes, I know
If you leave me baby
Don't you know it's gonna heart me so?
I'm gonna tell my mother
I'm gonna tell my mother
And I'm gonna talk to my father, too
I'm gonna tell the ol' man
What these young girls do to you
Goodbye now, pretty baby,
If I never see you no more.
Goodbye now, pretty baby,
If I never see you no more.
Well, if you think I'll be your fool
You better be on your merry way.
In John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers' song "You Don't Love Me," the lyrics are a lament about a lover who doesn't return the same level of affection. The lyrics express a deep level of frustration and sadness, as the singer knows that he is not loved back, and that the relationship may be ending soon. The song displays vivid imagery of the singer's predicament, as he contemplates telling his parents about his heartbreak and the young girls who have done him wrong. However, the final verse of the song seems to indicate a newfound sense of self-respect, as the singer says "if you think I'll be your fool, you better be on your merry way."
The song's repetition of the line "You don't love me, baby" emulates a common blues practice of using repetition to emphasize key themes and ideas. The simple structure of the song allows for the lyrics to shine, as they tell a clear story of heartbreak and emotional turmoil. The use of the pronoun "you" also adds to the emotional weight of the song, as the singer directly addresses his lover and makes his feelings clear. Overall, "You Don't Love Me" is a powerful expression of the blues tradition, conveying raw emotion and pain through minimalist instrumentation and poignant lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't love me, baby
The singer is aware that their partner does not have romantic feelings towards them.
You don't love me, yes, I know
The singer is confident in their assumption that their love is unrequited.
If you leave me baby
The singer is addressing the consequences of their partner leaving them.
Don't you know it's gonna heart me so?
The artist is expressing the emotional pain they will go through if their partner were to leave them.
I'm gonna tell my mother
The artist intends to confide in their family about their romantic situation.
And I'm gonna talk to my father, too
The singer will also discuss their relationship with their father in addition to their mother.
What these young girls do to you
The singer plans to share with their father how women their partner's age may mistreat or take advantage of men.
Goodbye now, pretty baby,
The artist is saying farewell to their partner.
If I never see you no more.
The artist is not confident that they will see their partner again.
Well, if you think I'll be your fool
The artist is suggesting that their partner may have underestimated them.
You better be on your merry way.
The singer warns their partner to leave and not try to deceive or play games with them.
Contributed by Elena R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.