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
Skip To My Lou
Leadbelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lost my partner what'll I do?
Lost my partner what'll I do?
Skip to my lou my darling
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
I'll get another one prettier than you
I'll get another one prettier than you
I'll get another one prettier than you
Skip to my lou my darling
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Skip to my lou my darling
Can't get a red bird Jay bird'll do
Can't get a red bird Jay bird'll do
Can't get a red bird Jay bird'll do
Skip to my lou my darling
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Skip to my lou my darling
Little red wagon painted in blue
Little red wagon painted in blue
Little red wagon painted in blue
Skip to my lou my darling
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Skip to my lou my darling
Fly in the sugar bowl shoo shoo shoo
Fly in the sugar bowl shoo shoo shoo
Fly in the sugar bowl shoo shoo shoo
Skip to my lou my darling
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Skip to my lou my darling
My old shoe is torn in two
My old shoe is torn in two
My old shoe is torn in two
Skip to my lou my darling
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Hey hey skip to my lou
Skip to my lou my darling
Leadbelly's song "Skip to My Lou" is a playful and upbeat tune that masks some dark undertones. The lyrics tell the story of a man who has lost his partner, and instead of mourning their absence, he decides to find someone else, someone even prettier than his previous partner. He encourages his new partner to skip with him, to forget about the past and focus on the present.
However, throughout the song, there are hints that this skipping and forgetting may not be entirely voluntary. The repeated refrain of "Skip to my lou, my darling" takes on a sinister tone as it transforms from an invitation to skip to a demand. The man's obsession with finding someone prettier than his previous partner speaks to a deeper insecurity, perhaps rooted in societal pressures to always have the best.
The lyrics also contain elements of escapism. The man cannot get a red bird, so he settles for a Jay bird. His old shoe is torn in two, but instead of fixing it, he chooses to distract himself by skipping. The fly in the sugar bowl serves as another distraction, a minor annoyance that can be easily chased away.
In summary, "Skip to My Lou" is a playful tune with a darker message. It speaks to our desires to forget the past, escape our problems, and always strive for something better, even if it means leaving others behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Lost my partner what'll I do?
I have lost my partner, what am I going to do now?
Hey hey skip to my lou
Let's skip and dance to lift our mood.
I'll get another one prettier than you
I will find a new partner, who is more attractive than you.
Can't get a red bird Jay bird'll do
If I can't get what I want, I will settle for something else of similar value.
Little red wagon painted in blue
There is something that is familiar, but its appearance has changed.
Fly in the sugar bowl shoo shoo shoo
An annoying pest has gotten into something sweet and must be chased away.
My old shoe is torn in two
Something that was once reliable has broken and is now useless.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RALPH BLANE, HUGH MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind