Leroy Carr (Nashville, Tennessee, USA, March 27, 1905 - Indianapolis, India… Read Full Bio ↴Leroy Carr (Nashville, Tennessee, USA, March 27, 1905 - Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, April 29, 1935) was an American blues singer, songwriter and pianist who developed a laid-back, crooning technique and whose popularity and style influenced artists like Nat King Cole and Ray Charles. He first became famous for "How Long, How Long Blues", with the guitarist Scrapper Blackwell on Vocalion Records in 1928 (as Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell), for which Carr wrote the music. The song is commonly referred to as "How Long Blues" and is a blues standard that has been recorded by many artists, not only in blues, but also country and western, pop, and jazz.

Although his recording career was cut short by an early death, Carr left behind a large body of work. He had a long-time partnership with guitarist Scrapper Blackwell. His light bluesy piano combined with Blackwell's melodic jazz guitar to attract a sophisticated black audience. Carr's vocal style moved blues singing toward an urban sophistication, influencing such singers as T-Bone Walker, Charles Brown, Amos Milburn, Jimmy Witherspoon, Ray Charles among others.
Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing used some of Carr's songs and Basie's band shows the influence of Carr's piano style.
His music has been covered by notable artists such as Robert Johnson, Ray Charles, Big Bill Broonzy, Moon Mullican, Champion Jack Dupree, Lonnie Donegan and Memphis Slim.
Carr died of nephritis shortly after his thirtieth birthday.

Blues Before Sunrise
Leroy Carr Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I have the blues before sunrise,
Tears standing in my eyes.
I have the blues before sunrise,
Tears standing in my eyes.
It was a miserable feeling,
Now babe, a feeling I do despise.

I have to leave, leave you baby,

Because you know you done me wrong.
I have to leave you baby,
Because you know you done me wrong.
I'm gonna pack up and leave you darling
And break up my happy home.

I have to leave, leave you baby,
I'm gonna leave you all alone.
I'm gonna leave you baby,
I'm gonna leave you all alone.
I'm gonna pack up and leave you darling
Because you know you done me wrong.

Well now goodbye, goodbye baby,
I'll see you on some rainy day.
Well now goodbye baby,
I'll see you on some rainy day.

You can go ahead now little darling,
'Cause I want you to have your way.

Overall Meaning

Leroy Carr's "Blues Before Sunrise" is a classic blues song that portrays a sense of sadness and depression. The lyrics suggest the singer is heartbroken and in unbearable pain, as he’s suffering from the blues before sunrise, with tears streaming down his eyes. The singer acknowledges how miserable he feels, and how much he detests it. He then admits that he has to part ways with his lover because she has done him wrong, leading him to pack up his things and leave his once-joyful home. He reiterates his decision to leave the woman he once loved, emphasizing that he will do it all alone, leaving his lover hopeless and alone.

The song's lyrics reflect the common theme of heartbreak, despair, and betrayal. The pain of heartbreak is portrayed in every line of the song. The repetition of the phrase - "I have the blues before sunrise, tears standing in my eyes" - highlights the depth of the singer's sadness, emphasizing how much he’s suffering. The singer’s decision to leave his lover is rooted in his realization that the woman he loved has betrayed him. The tone of the song is melancholic, with the lyrics further emphasizing the singer's feelings of sadness.

Line by Line Meaning

I have the blues before sunrise, Tears standing in my eyes.
I'm feeling very sad and emotionally drained, crying my eyes out in the early morning hours.

It was a miserable feeling, Now babe, a feeling I do despise.
This feeling of heartache and despair is awful, and I hate experiencing it with you.

I have to leave, leave you baby, Because you know you done me wrong.
I have no choice but to walk away from our love because of the way you've hurt me.

I'm gonna pack up and leave you darling And break up my happy home.
I'm going to gather my things and go, even if it means losing the happiness we once had together.

I'm gonna leave you baby, I'm gonna leave you all alone.
I'm going to abandon you and leave you to face the consequences of your actions by yourself.

You can go ahead now little darling, 'Cause I want you to have your way.
You can have the freedom to do what you want now, because I can't be with you anymore, even if it means you'll continue to hurt me.

Writer(s): Leroy Authur Carr Copyright: Leeds Music Corp.

Contributed by Oliver T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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