Taylor was born as Cora Walton on a farm just outside Memphis, Tennessee. In 1954, Taylor left Memphis for Chicago with her husband, truck driver Robert "Pops" Taylor. In the late 1950s she began singing in Chicago blues clubs and was spotted by Willie Dixon in 1962, leading to wider performances and her first recording contract. In 1965, Taylor was signed by Chess Records, for which her single Wang Dang Doodle (written by Dixon, and a hit for Howlin' Wolf five years earlier) became a major hit, reaching number four on the R&B charts in 1966 and selling a million copies. Taylor recorded many versions of this Dixon-penned song over the past several decades and added more material, both original and covers, but never repeated that initial chart success.
National touring in the late 1960s and early 1970s improved her fan base, and she became accessible to a wider record-buying public when she signed with Alligator Records in 1975. Recording over a dozen albums for that label (many nominated for Grammy awards), she came to dominate the female blues singer ranks, winning 24 W. C. Handy Awards -- more than any other artist. After her recovery from a near-fatal car crash in 1989, the 1990s found Taylor in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000. She opened a blues club on Division St. in Chicago in 1994, but closed it in 1999. Taylor released a new album in 2007 called "Old School."
Koko Taylor influenced such musicians as Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, Janis Joplin, Shannon Curfman, and Susan Tedeschi.
Koko Taylor died on the afternoon of June 3rd 2009 (at the age of 80), while recovering from surgery to repair gastrointestinal bleeding. Koko Taylor is still referred to by fellow blues musicians and her fans as the "Queen of the Blues".
Evil
Koko Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't sleep at night
Grab your telephone
'Cause something just ain't right
[Chorus:]
That's evil
Evil is going on
You better watch your happy home
Long way from home
Can't sleep at all
'Cause there's another
Mule kickin' in your stall
[Chorus]
Yes, you make it to your house
Knock on the front door
Run around to the back
Catch her before she go
[Chorus]
Well, if you call on the telephone
The answer's awfully slow
Grab the first train smokin'
Even if you have to hobo
[Chorus]
The opening lines of Koko Taylor's blues classic "Evil" describe a tense and troubled situation: the singer is unable to sleep because something just feels wrong. The use of the telephone as a means of seeking comfort or reassurance suggests a deeper sense of isolation and vulnerability. The song's chorus warns of the pervasive presence of evil, and urges women to be vigilant in protecting their homes from external threats.
The second stanza of the song focuses on infidelity, with the metaphorical image of a mule kicking in one's stall representing the intrusion of another lover into a relationship. The sense of betrayal and violation is palpable, and the urgent warning of the chorus takes on even greater significance in light of this issue.
The final stanza of the song suggests a proactive approach to dealing with the problem of evil, as the singer searches for the source of the trouble and takes bold action to confront it. This combination of fear and determination is a hallmark of the blues, and speaks to the strength and resilience of those who struggle against adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Long way from home
Being far away from your comfort zone
Can't sleep at night
Having anxiety and restlessness
Grab your telephone
Make a call to someone for help
'Cause something just ain't right
Feeling that something is not normal
[Chorus:] That's evil
The situation at hand is wicked and wrong
Well, I'm warning you girls
Advising and alerting young women
You better watch your happy home
Protecting and safeguarding one's residence
Can't sleep at all
Being unable to rest or take a nap
'Cause there's another
An extramarital affair or betrayal
Mule kickin' in your stall
Having a rival or opponent in your vicinity
[Chorus]
Reiterating the evil nature of the situation
Yes, you make it to your house
Arrive at your place of residence
Knock on the front door
Rap on the entryway of a house or building
Run around to the back
Go to the rear of the house or building
Catch her before she go
Apprehend her before she leaves
[Chorus]
Emphasizing the wickedness of the situation and the importance of being vigilant
Well, if you call on the telephone
If you dial someone on the phone
The answer's awfully slow
Receiving a tardy response
Grab the first train smokin'
Taking the earliest available transport
Even if you have to hobo
Traveling as a vagrant
[Chorus]
Repeating the song's warning about the treacherous nature of the situation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TED WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carloskeiber4690
I Knew this song today watching Adventure in Babysitting movie, I'll ,put in may playlist to travel with my 83' Ford, traveling listening blues in route 66 is perfect
@MusiqTruth
This song still slaps- Koko Taylor: Queen of the Blues ♥️ rip
@WillCtheMechDrummer
The perfect song for heading home after a long day at work!!! Cause sometimes... the job... can be EVIL
@voicesbysonia
This is my favorite Blues song of all times
@murjanipeterson9825
Ditto 💯🔥❤️🎵
@elektrikmynt8462
that's someone who loves music there. chills every time
@MrLouied10
Elektrik Mynt84 your so beautiful it gives me the chills
@isaacheres1354
Where are we going?
To hell, kinda exciting don't you think?
@ashikana21
Right in the heart
@donalddavis5061
one hell of a singer