The musicologist Robert "Mack" McCormick opined that Hopkins is "the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act".
Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas, and as a child was immersed in the sounds of the blues. He developed a deep appreciation for this music at the age of 8, when he met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic in Buffalo, Texas. That day, Hopkins felt the blues was "in him".[citation needed] He went on to learn from his older (distant) cousin, the country blues singer Alger "Texas" Alexander. (Hopkins had another cousin, the Texas electric blues guitarist Frankie Lee Sims, with whom he later recorded.) Hopkins began accompanying Jefferson on guitar at informal church gatherings. Jefferson reputedly never let anyone play with him except young Hopkins, and Hopkins learned much from Jefferson at these gatherings.
Hopkins's style was born from spending many hours playing informally without a backing band. His distinctive fingerstyle technique often included playing, in effect, bass, rhythm, lead, and percussion at the same time. He played both "alternating" and "monotonic" bass styles incorporating imaginative, often chromatic turnarounds and single-note lead lines. Tapping or slapping the body of his guitar added rhythmic accompaniment.
Much of Hopkins's music follows the standard 12-bar blues template, but his phrasing was free and loose. Many of his songs were in the talking blues style, but he was a powerful and confident singer.[citation needed] Lyrically, his songs expressed the problems of life in the segregated South, bad luck in love and other subjects common in the blues idiom. He dealt with these subjects with humor and good nature. Many of his songs are filled with double entendres, and he was known for his humorous introductions to songs.
Hopkins died of esophageal cancer in Houston on January 30, 1982, at the age of 69. His obituary in the New York Times described him as "one of the great country blues singers and perhaps the greatest single influence on rock guitar players.".
Broken Hearted Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
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whoa, she won'te treat nobody right
yeah, She's an evil-hearted woman
she won'te treat nobody right
she get mad late in the evening
That woman she'll be gone all night
Lord, I've been a-wondering what make my baby so evil
Whoa
Some time what make her so mean
Yeah, you know she's just an evil-hearted woman
Meanest little girl that I've ever seen
One more time I gotta tell you evil-hearted woman
I ain't gonna ever tell you no
Just gotta sound all right now
Little bold lightnin' gotta let you go
In Lightnin' Hopkins's blues song "Broken Hearted Blues," the singer laments the cruel and heartless behavior of a woman he loves. He describes her as "evil-hearted" and notes that she doesn't treat anybody right. The singer is clearly frustrated and hurt by her actions, particularly when she disappears for the night after getting angry. He wonders what it is that makes her so cruel, but ultimately he is resigned to the fact that she is just a "mean" and "evil-hearted" woman.
The emotions conveyed in "Broken Hearted Blues" are intense and raw. The way Hopkins phrases the lyrics and sings them in his signature drawling drawl adds to their emotional impact. The song is a classic example of the Texan blues tradition, with its emphasis on storytelling and raw, honest emotion. Overall, "Broken Hearted Blues" is a powerful testament to the pain and heartbreak that can come from love.
Line by Line Meaning
She's an evil-hearted woman
This woman is cruel and unkind
whoa, she won'te treat nobody right
She mistreats everyone she encounters
yeah, She's an evil-hearted woman
This woman's nature is wicked and cruel
she won'te treat nobody right
She doesn't show others kindness or respect
she get mad late in the evening
She becomes angry and unpredictable at night
That woman she'll be gone all night
She leaves during the night and doesn't return
Lord, I've been a-wondering what make my baby so evil
I've been trying to understand why my partner is so cruel
Some time to wonder what make her so mean
I sometimes wonder what caused her to be this way
Whoa, some time what make her so mean
Occasionally I try to figure out why she acts so harshly
Yeah, you know she's just an evil-hearted woman
This woman is nothing but wicked and cruel
Meanest little girl that I've ever seen
She is the cruelest woman I have ever known
One more time I gotta tell you evil-hearted woman
Once again I have to address this cruel woman
I ain't gonna ever tell you no
I will not lie to you
Just gotta sound all right now
I need to make this message clear
Little bold lightnin' gotta let you go
I must break up with you, courageous but reluctant as I am
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: SAM HOPKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind