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".
Time Will Tell
Koko Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His empty glass
They seem to tell me...
His parting kiss, oh
Brought tears to my eyes
Was it goodnight?
I wanna know now, or was it goodbye?
And only time
Wrinkled up sofa
Scuff marks on the floor
Shows where he was sitting
Oh where he was sitting a moment ago
He's never left this early before
Is this a sign? Oh I wanna know if he'll be back for more
Only time will tell, oh...
I felt a change the moment you came walking,
Oh coming through my front door
This conversation was almost the same
Still I could tell that something was wrong, his feelings were changed
Now empty those ash trays
His glass put away, straighten my sofa... But will I ever, will ever erase from my mind the way you looked when you kissed me goodnight.
Only time will tell."
Koko Taylor's "Time Will Tell" is a song about heartbreak and the uncertainty that comes with it. The opening lines of the song paint a vivid picture of a scene where the singer is left to contemplate her lover's departure. She observes the cigarette ashes and his empty glass on the table, wondering if it was a goodnight or goodbye kiss that he gave her when he left. The singer's uncertainty is palpable as she tries to decipher the clues left behind.
As the song progresses, she sees a wrinkled sofa and scuff marks on the floor, which show where he was sitting. She becomes uneasy, noting that he had never left this early before, wondering if it's a sign that he may not be coming back. She tries to straighten things up, emptying ashtrays and putting away glasses, hoping that he'll return. But she is left with the memory of the way he looked when he kissed her goodnight and wonders if she'll ever be able to forget it.
Overall, the song is a poignant reminder of the fragility of relationships and the pain that comes with their breakdown. It speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and the uncertainty that comes with it. The lyrics are beautifully written, evoking a sense of longing and despair that anyone who has experienced heartbreak can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Cigarette ashes
I noticed the cigarette ashes left behind by my partner which indicated his presence in my space.
His empty glass
I observed the empty glass, which he used to consume his last drink before leaving.
They seem to tell me...
These objects gave me a hint about my partner's recent visit and departure.
His parting kiss, oh
The goodbye smooch from my partner before he left that brought tears to my eyes.
Brought tears to my eyes
His farewell kiss made me emotional and tearful.
Was it goodnight?
I wondered if his parting kiss was just a goodnight kiss or a final goodbye.
I wanna know now, or was it goodbye?
I am curious to know if his parting kiss was a goodbye or a goodnight kiss.
And only time
Only time will reveal the true nature of his goodbye kiss.
Only time, time will tell
Time is the only factor that can help me understand if his affectionate goodnight kiss was a permanent goodbye.
Wrinkled up sofa
The rumpled sofa showed signs of his presence and where he was seated.
Scuff marks on the floor
The floor's scratch marks indicated where my partner might have kicked his shoes off before settling down.
Shows where he was sitting
The sofa creases and the scuff marks indicated where my partner sat before leaving.
Oh where he was sitting a moment ago
I felt his physical presence in the space even if he wasn't physically present anymore.
He's never left this early before
He has never left my place this early in the past, which leads me to question his sudden departure.
Is this a sign?
I pondered whether his hasty exit indicated something more significant, or was it just a regular goodbye?
Oh I wanna know if he'll be back for more
I desperately want to know if he is going to return to my place or not.
I felt a change the moment you came walking,
The moment he entered the door, I felt the subtle change in his attitude and behavior.
Oh coming through my front door
I expected my partner's arrival, but his behavior wasn't how it usually is.
This conversation was almost the same
We had a similar conversation as before, but there was a different vibe in it, wrenching me inside.
Still I could tell that something was wrong, his feelings were changed
I sensed that his feelings and emotions were different while we were having a conversation, there was something amiss.
Now empty those ash trays
I cleared the ash trays from the table after he left, signifying that his visit was over.
His glass put away, straighten my sofa...
I put his glass away and straightened my sofa, symbolizing that his trip was complete and done.
But will I ever, will ever erase from my mind the way you looked when you kissed me goodnight.
I may never forget the way he looked at me while bidding me the final goodbye with his goodnight kiss.
Only time will tell.
Only time can tell whether I will forget the kiss or not.
Writer(s): Paul Gayten
Contributed by Lucas B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nancylee5761
Love Koko's version of this song. It's the raw emotions & gravelly voice for me.
@davidkukla534
I seen Koko Taylor over 25 years ago at the Ill. State Fair and have never stopped listening to her since,also Stevie Ray Vaughn.Their music will touch my life till my last breath.
@cassiopeia1979
This song heals my soul.❤
@AmyLouJenkins
I heard her sing this live and became an instant fan!
@mwdadrummer202
Can't help feeling music like this,,, that's why I'm doing my part to keep music like hers & others alive,,, playing with a cover band with a powerhouse female singer...
@barrys4922
Fantastic song, great video. Thank you for posting this. I saw Koko once at the Checkerboard Lounge on Chicago's Southside, and once at a college campus in North Carolina. Both times, she had the audience enthralled.
@ettajames2luv
Love and miss her! One of my favorite Koko songs- Thanks for posting!
@josedomingostadelman738
Lo mejor en blues forever Koko
@TheLakewind
Love it and her.
@harrisonrangeldesouz
Perfeita!