Using his own contacts in the record business, Shepherd's father and manager, Ken Shepherd, helped his son land a major-label record deal with Giant Records. In 1995, his debut album was entitled Ledbetter Heights and featured original material and a few covers.
He recently converted to Catholicism and overcame an addiction problem, and that's become a theme of his current work. He is married to Hannah Gibson, daughter of Actor Mel Gibson.
Discography:
1995 - Ledbetter Heights
1997 - Trouble Is...
1999 - Live On
2004 - The Place You're In
2007 - 10 Days out...Blues from the Backroads
2011 - How I Go
Blue on Black
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Falls and I'm alone.
Skin...
Yeah, chill me to the bone.
You...
Turned and you ran. (oh yeah)
Oh, slipped
Right from my hand.
Hey, blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push on a shove, it don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Don't bring you back.
Blue on black.
(Oh Yeah)
Blue on black.
Blind...
Oh, now I see.
Truth...
Lies and in between.
Wrong...
Can't be undone.
Oh slipped...
From the tip of your tongue.
Hey, blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push on a shove, it don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Doesn't bring you back, yeah,
Blue on black.
Oh, blue on black.
(Oh, yeah)
BRIDGE
Blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push on a shove,
It don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, it's a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Don't bring you back,
Blue on black.
(Oh yeah)
Blue on black.
Hey, blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push or a shove,
I don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, it's a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Doesn't bring you back,
Blue on black.
Oh,
Blue on black.
Oh,
Blue on black.
Oh,
Blue on black.
The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band's song "Blue on Black" is a powerful ballad that explores the themes of loss and betrayal. The song tells of a person who is left alone and betrayed by someone they loved. The lyrics exude a heavy sense of melancholy and make use of vivid imagery to incite a mournful emotional response from the listener.
The opening lines set the tone of the song, with the singer feeling deserted and abandoned. The lyrics "Night...Falls and I'm alone. Skin...Yeah, chill me to the bone. You...Turned and you ran. (oh yeah) Oh, slipped Right from my hand" paint a picture of a cold, dark and lonely night, with the singer feeling the harsh sting of abandonment like a cold knife slicing through their skin.
The chorus of the song, with the lyrics "Hey, blue on black, Tears on a river, Push on a shove, it don't mean much, Joker on Jack, Match on a fire, Cold on ice, a dead man's touch, Whisper on a scream, Doesn't change a thing, Doesn't bring you back, Blue on black" emphasizes the sense of loss and the futility of trying to bring back something that is gone forever. The imagery of tears on a river and a whisper on a scream highlights the idea that there can be no going back, and the love that was once there is now as dead as a cold touch on ice.
Overall, "Blue on Black" is a moving song that conveys a sense of loss and betrayal, with powerful imagery and a mournful tone.
Line by Line Meaning
Night...
Falls and I'm alone.
It's dark outside and I'm lonely.
Skin...
Yeah, chill me to the bone.
I'm feeling a physical shiver down my spine.
You...
Turned and you ran. (oh yeah)
Oh, slipped
Right from my hand.
You left me when I was not ready, slipping from my grasp.
Hey, blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push on a shove, it don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Don't bring you back.
Blue on black.
(Oh Yeah)
Blue on black.
No matter what I do or say, it won't make a difference to bring you back. Whatever I try, it won't change anything. It's like different elements or combinations that don't add up, which means everything just makes sense, but it doesn't solve the problem.
Blind...
Oh, now I see.
Truth...
Lies and in between.
I was ignorant before but now I see the truth, which exists somewhere between lies and truth.
Wrong...
Can't be undone.
Oh slipped...
From the tip of your tongue.
Mistakes can't be corrected and you already revealed them.
Hey, blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push on a shove, it don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Doesn't bring you back, yeah,
Blue on black.
Oh, blue on black.
(Oh, yeah)
The same as before, it doesn't matter what you do or say, it won't bring you back. Different mixed expression and elements that equal nothing, reminding the frustration.
BRIDGE
Blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push on a shove,
It don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, it's a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Don't bring you back,
Blue on black.
(Oh yeah)
Blue on black.
The chorus repeats with the same message of frustration and futility.
Hey, blue on black,
Tears on a river,
Push or a shove,
I don't mean much.
Joker on Jack,
Match on a fire,
Cold on ice, it's a dead man's touch.
Whisper on a scream,
Doesn't change a thing.
Doesn't bring you back,
Blue on black.
Oh,
Blue on black.
Oh,
Blue on black.
Oh,
Blue on black.
The same context of frustrating actions and elements combining and failing to bring the person back into the artist's life.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sherrylhenning5630
I heard this song for the first time about 2 weeks ago in the grocery store. I noticed the stock clerk was singing along. I asked him if he knew who this was. He said it was one of his favorites. Good songs have longevity and cross generations. The clerk was in his 20's and I turn 62 in Dec. This is now added to my loooooong list of favorite songs!
@user-qs4pw9jg9p
@sherrylhenning5630. Next up Johnny Lang " Lie To Me"
@maanihamskii6392
@user-qs4pw9jg9p thanks im gonna give that one a listen right meow 😂😂😂
@billgorrell6166
I'm 68 playing this song in a band. I'm on keyboards.
@otiscarter1356
Use to listen this in Afghanistan.
Got me through some awful days
@conniewatt4704
Thank you for your Service. 🙏 🇺🇸
@otiscarter1356
You’re welcomed Connie ❤️
@haydensass1327
What branch were you in
@vladimir4753
@@otiscarter1356 Thank you for your service!
@mqpar5.795
Yut