Katie Webster (born Kathryn Jewel Thorne, 11 January 1936 – 5 September 199… Read Full Bio ↴Katie Webster (born Kathryn Jewel Thorne, 11 January 1936 – 5 September 1999) was an American boogie-woogie pianist. Her place of birth is listed as Houston, Texas.

She is acknowledged as one of the most important blues artists of her generation.

Webster was initially best known as a session musician behind Louisiana musicians on the Excello and Goldband record labels, such as Lightnin' Slim and Lonesome Sundown. She also played piano with Otis Redding in the 1960s, but after his death, went into semi-retirement. During her career, she was duet partner to many stars, among them B. B. King, Robert Cray and Rockin' Sidney. Her long professional relationship with the Alligator Records label is also worthy of noting.

In the 1980s, she was repeatedly booked for European tours and recorded albums for the German record label, Ornament Records. She cut You Know That's Right with the band Hot Links, and the album that established her in the United States; The Swamp Boogie Queen with guest spots by Bonnie Raitt and Robert Cray. She performed at both the San Francisco Blues Festival and Long Beach Blues Festival.

Webster suffered a stroke in 1993 while touring Greece and returned to performing the following year. She died from heart failure in League City, Texas, in September 1999.

Never Let Me Go
Katie Webster Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just let me love you tonight
Forget about tomorrow
My darling won't
You hold me tight
And never let
Never let me go

Dry your eyes

No tears no sorrow
Cling to me
With all your might
And never let me go

A million times or more
We said we'd never never never never part
Ah but lately
Lately I find
That you're a stranger
A stranger in my heart
Give me give me give me

Give me the night
In summer or in springtime
To tell the world
That you're the you're and you're everything of mine
And you'll never
Oh never let me go

No
You'll never let me go

Overall Meaning

Katie Webster's song "Never Let Me Go" poignantly depicts a lover's desperation to hold on to their significant other. The first verse urges the lover to forget about tomorrow and to simply let themselves be loved tonight. The chorus echoes this, with the lover begging their partner to hold them tight and to never let them go. The second verse highlights the irony of their situation - they had promised to never part, yet now the lover feels like a stranger in their heart. The final verse pleads for the night to be given to them, so they can declare their love to the world and know that their significant other will never let them go.

The song portrays a painful struggle with vulnerability, fear of abandonment, and hope for a secure future. The repetition of the phrase "never let me go" underscores this yearning and desperation. The song is a reminder that love is not always smooth sailing, and that it requires effort, trust, and commitment.

Line by Line Meaning

Just let me love you tonight
Allow me to show my affection towards you in this moment

Forget about tomorrow
Don't worry about the future, focus on the present

My darling won't
My love for you is constant

You hold me tight
Embrace me and show me your affection

And never let
Always keep a hold of me

Never let me go
Don't let me slip away from your love and affection

Dry your eyes
Stop crying and being upset

No tears no sorrow
There is no need for sadness or weeping

Cling to me
Hold on tight to me

With all your might
Use all of your strength and power to hold me close

And never let me go
Don't allow me to escape your love and protection