Best known for regional hits recorded with Ernie Young's Nashville-based Excello Records, Lester also contributed to songs recorded by other Excello artists, including Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim, and Katie Webster. Cover versions of his songs have been recorded by (among others) the Kinks, the Flamin' Groovies, Freddy Fender, Dwight Yoakam, Dave Edmunds, Raful Neal, Anson Funderburgh, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. In the comeback stage of his career (since the late 1980s) he has recorded new albums backed by Mike Buck, Sue Foley, Gene Taylor, Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, and Jimmie Vaughan.
In the mid-1950s, Lester was on the margins of the Louisiana blues scene. According to Rolling Stone (February 23, 2006), Buddy Guy, before moving to Chicago, had played in Louisiana "with some of the old masters: Lightnin' Hopkins, Lazy Lester, Slim Harpo." When Guy left for Chicago, in 1957, Lester replaced him, on guitar, in a local band—even though Lester, at the time, did not own one.
Lester's career took off when he found a seat next to Lightnin' Slim on a bus transporting Slim to an Excello recording session. At the studio, the scheduled harmonica player did not appear. Slim and Lester spent the afternoon unsuccessfully trying to find him, when Lester volunteered that he could play the harmonica. Lester's work on that first Lightnin' Slim session led the producer, Jay Miller, to record Lester as solo artist and also to use him as a multi-instrumentalist on percussion, guitar, bass, and harmonica in sessions headlined by other artists whose recorings were produced by Miller, including, notably, Slim Harpo. "Percussion" on these sessions went beyond the traditional drum kit and included a rolled-up newspaper striking a cardboard box.
Miller dubbed Lester "Lazy Lester" because of his laconic, laid-back style.
More than his vocal delivery, Lester is best remembered for songs that were later covered by a wide range of rock, country, blues, and Tex-Mex stars, chiefly, "I'm a Lover Not a Fighter," "I Hear You Knockin'," and "Sugar Coated Love."
Lester stated that he wrote these songs, but almost all are credited to Miller or to Lester and Miller. Lester also stated he received few royalties, which embittered him and made him skeptical of the music industry. By the late 1960s, he had given up on the music industry, working manual labor and pursuing his favorite hobby—fishing. Lester moved to Pontiac, Michigan, living with Slim Harpo's sister.
In 1971, Fred Reif set up a Lightnin' Slim concert at the University of Chicago Folk Festival, and Lester was brought up from Louisiana to accompany him. A few weeks after that performance, Lester was back in Louisiana. Years later Reif and Lester were both in Michigan, from where Reif orchestrated a comeback. Lester recorded and played around the United States and abroad, backed by blues bands, including, frequently, Loaded Dice.
Lester's recordings in this period are on blues labels Alligator and Telarc, alongside releases in Europe.
If disenchanted, Lester retained his harmonica, guitar, and vocal talents (the songwriting that had been muse to the Kinks and Dwight Yoakam having dried up long before). In September 2002, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boston Blues Society.
In 2003, Martin Scorsese included Lester in his blues tribute concert at Radio City Music Hall, a record of which was released as the film and album Lightning in a Bottle. The group photograph inside the album depicted Lester grinning, dead-center among peers and musical progeny including B.B. King, Solomon Burke, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Buddy Guy, Levon Helm, Chuck D, the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, John Fogerty, and Aerosmith.
In 2012, Lester teamed up with British Blues Woman Dani Wilde to play a special double headline concert as part of Gloucester Rhythm and Blues Festival.
Lester appeared and performed in a television commercial aired nationally for Geico Insurance in 2018.
He appears in the 2015 documentary film I Am the Blues.
Lester lived in Paradise, California, with his girlfriend. He died in August, 2018.
Sugar Coates Love
Lazy Lester Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know that girl is so fine
She loves me in the morning and she loves me every evening
And she's always on my mind
She got
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby, I don't mean maybe, she's mine
I don't have to worry 'bout clothes
I don't have to worry 'bout anything
She's my baby
And goodness knows
She got
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby, I don't mean maybe, she's mine
You can take your pick of the others
You can take any one you may choose
I'm holding on to this baby of mine
'Cause she got what I can use
And that's
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby, I don't mean maybe, she's mine
You want to go to sugar-coated lovin', it's
It's the best kinda lovin' they got
It's the kind of love, make the old feel young, and make the North Pole hot
And that's
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby, I don't mean maybe, she's mine
Lazy Lester's song “Sugar Coated Love” is a classic blues love song that describes the singer’s love for his girlfriend. In the first verse, he announces how great his girlfriend is to anyone who hasn't seen her, and highlights how much she loves him every day. He also emphasizes that she is always on his mind. The singer then describes the amazing feeling he experiences because of his girlfriend's love, which he likens to Sugar Coated Love; which is sweet, fulfilling, and satisfying.
In the second verse, the singer expresses the assurance he has because he doesn't have to worry about anything, from money to his clothes because his girlfriend takes good care of him. He emphasizes that his girl is his baby and he's grateful to have her. In the third verse, the singer speaks to anyone that may want to take away his girlfriend, warning them that his girl has something special to offer that's hard to come by, and that's the “sugar-coated love.” The song also alludes to the power of this kind of love, describing it as the best thing that anyone can experience.
Line by Line Meaning
You ought to see my baby
I want you to see how amazing my girlfriend is
You know that girl is so fine
My girlfriend is extremely attractive
She loves me in the morning and she loves me every evening
My girlfriend shows me affection all the time
And she's always on my mind
I think about her constantly
She got sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
My girlfriend's love is sweet and easy to enjoy
She's a real-gone baby, I don't mean maybe, she's mine
My girlfriend is amazing, and there's no doubt that she belongs to me
I don't have to worry 'bout money
I don't need to worry about finances
I don't have to worry 'bout clothes
I don't need to worry about fashion
I don't have to worry 'bout anything
I don't need to worry about anything in life
She's my baby
My girlfriend is all I need
And goodness knows
I feel strongly about this
You can take your pick of the others
There are other options out there
You can take any one you may choose
You can choose anyone else you want
I'm holding on to this baby of mine
But I'm sticking with my girlfriend
'Cause she got what I can use
Because she has everything that I need
You want to go to sugar-coated lovin', it's
If you want true love, it's
It's the best kinda lovin' they got
It's the very best kind of love
It's the kind of love, make the old feel young, and make the North Pole hot
It's a special kind of love that makes people feel young, alive, and passionate
And that's sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
This is what I mean by sweet, easy-to-enjoy love
She's a real-gone baby, I don't mean maybe, she's mine
My girlfriend is amazing, and there's no doubt that she belongs to me
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAY MILLER, JOHANN JR. STRAUSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hugo Prince
You ought to see my baby
You know that girl is so fine
She loves me in the morning and she loves me every evening
And she's always on my mind
She got
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
I don't have to worry 'bout money
I don't have to worry 'bout clothes
I don't have to worry 'bout anything
She's my baby
And goodness knows
She got
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
Harp solo
You can take your pick of the others
You can take any one you may choose
I'm holding on to this baby of mine
‘cause she got, what i can use
And that's
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
You want to go to sugar-coated lovin' is
It's the best kinda’ lovin' they got
It's the kind of love make the old feel young, and make the north pole hot,
And that's
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
---
squeakystool
RIP Lester you were one of a kind, loved your sound.
Jerri Heinilin
He truly was a one of a kind.
manoel luiz teixeira
O lazy Lestes, e muito bom, tanto no desempenho da harmônica como na arte de cantar, gostei demais. maneco -Porot Alegre-RS - Brasil.
Le Prince Noir
love it! It sounds really authentic, great to listen
Steven Davis
lester is the real thing. i can remember watching his foot board with the perfect touch. an amazing thing happen when he starts to play. his guitar work is infectuous as is his harmonica. one of the few things i miss about detroit. rock on les
Johnny
Lazy Lester on Excello is a god damn force of nature
T4TexasTom
What a great recording. The original
recording 90% of the time is the greatest.
However, my favorite version is the studio version from the
Fabulous Thunderbirds 🎸
GOLDBAND45rpm
You were the man! Sitting outside studios to get a recording contract .thanks for your music!
Jerrell Macc
I meet this man at work today and he gave me his card to listen to him....i regret not knowing him earlier
Hugo Prince
You ought to see my baby
You know that girl is so fine
She loves me in the morning and she loves me every evening
And she's always on my mind
She got
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
I don't have to worry 'bout money
I don't have to worry 'bout clothes
I don't have to worry 'bout anything
She's my baby
And goodness knows
She got
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
Harp solo
You can take your pick of the others
You can take any one you may choose
I'm holding on to this baby of mine
‘cause she got, what i can use
And that's
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
You want to go to sugar-coated lovin' is
It's the best kinda’ lovin' they got
It's the kind of love make the old feel young, and make the north pole hot,
And that's
Sugar-coated love, yeah sugar-coated love
She's a real-gone baby i don't mean maybe, she's mine
---