Although Lead Belly most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar. In other recordings he just sings while clapping his hands or stomping his foot.
The topics of Lead Belly's music covered a wide range of subjects, including gospel songs; blues songs about women, liquor, prison life, and racism; and folk songs about cowboys, prison, work, sailors, cattle herding, and dancing. He also wrote songs concerning the newsmakers of the day, such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Jean Harlow, the Scottsboro Boys, and Howard Hughes.
In 2008, Lead Belly was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Though many of his posthumous releases list him as "Leadbelly," he himself spelled it "Lead Belly." This is also the usage on most of his original records, tombstone, as well as of the Lead Belly Foundation.
Leadbelly was born in Mooringsport, Louisiana, and spent time in and out of prison most of his life. In 1933, serving a sentence for attempted murder, musicologists John and Alan Lomax "discovered" him on a field recording tour sponsored by the Library of Congress. That summer, he was pardoned by the governor of Lousiana after recording his plea for pardon on a record, together with "Good Night Irene". Leadbelly went on to make hundreds of recordings of all sorts of different songs: country, blues, spirituals, reels, and work chants.
His songs have been covered by Mark Lanegan, The Animals, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Nirvana, Lonnie Donegan, Johnny Cash, Gene Autry, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, British Sea Power, Ram Jam, Ry Cooder, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Half Man Half Biscuit, Tom Waits, Shocking Blue, The White Stripes, Long John Baldry.
Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Biography: Lead Belly Biography
BIO Biography: Lead Belly Biography
Lead Belly Foundation: Lead Belly Foundation.org
Lead Belly is also on Last.fm as Lead Belly
Easy Rider
Leadbelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoa, she ain't no good
She got drunk this mornin'
Woke up her neighbours
She take me to her house
She called me honey
I thought she loved me
Shes a noted rider
Whoa, she ain't no good
I made a date with her
About half past ten
Knocked on her door
She said you ain't comin' in
She's a noted rider
Whoa' she ain't a bit of good
The lyrics of Leadbelly's song Easy Rider paint a picture of a woman who is known for her wild and reckless behavior. She is a "noted rider," suggesting that she is known for her love of motorcycles or perhaps even horses. However, Leadbelly's description of her is far from flattering. He says that she "ain't no good" and that she got drunk in the morning, causing a disturbance in her neighborhood.
Despite her flaws, Leadbelly seems to be drawn to this woman. She takes him to her house and calls him honey, leading him to believe that she loves him. But in the end, it becomes clear that she only wanted his money, and Leadbelly is left feeling used and disappointed. When he tries to make another date with her, she shuts him down, refusing to let him come in.
Overall, the lyrics of Easy Rider seem to be a cautionary tale about falling for someone who may not have our best interests at heart. The woman in the song may be exciting and alluring, but she is ultimately untrustworthy, leaving Leadbelly feeling frustrated and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a noted rider
She's well-known for her ability to attract men
Whoa, she ain't no good
Unfortunately, she's not a reliable or trustworthy person
She got drunk this mornin'
She consumed alcohol early in the day
Woke up her neighbours
Her unruly behavior disturbed those around her
She take me to her house
She invited me to accompany her to her residence
She called me honey
She expressed flattery toward me
I thought she loved me
I believed she had genuine affection for me
But, she just wanted my money
Unfortunately, her intentions were not pure and she was only interested in financial gain
I made a date with her
I arranged to meet her at a specific time and place
About half past ten
The designated time was close to 10:30
Knocked on her door
I attempted to gain entry to her residence
She said you ain't comin' in
She refused to allow me to enter
She's a noted rider
She continues to be well-known for her ability to attract men
Whoa' she ain't a bit of good
She remains an unreliable and untrustworthy person
Contributed by Gianna N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@zack6701
King of the Blues is this man
@docindomito3468
For me, this is the most powerful version of this song...I have not been able to find it in the tangible world, so thanks for the post!
@williedynamyte
Of the many versions of this song. This is my favorite. Salute!
@Beatmyguest001
One of my favourite songs of all time! Why doesn’t it have thousands and thousands of views?
@davidlamb7524
People are lost to their own souls and their ears are stuffed with noise and confusion.
Leadbelly sings straight from the heart.
Beautiful.
@coenvijge
Yes....the original one man band!
@dja5766
this is my favorite by him
@illeagleproducionz8116
🥰😇🥰