Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an … Read Full Bio ↴Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist, from Centerville, Texas. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

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.".

Fugitive Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah, they named me Richard Kimble,
'cause I been runnin' so long
Yeah, they named me Richard Kimble,
'cause I been runnin' so long
Yeah, you know they got me accused of murder,
When I ain't did no one wrong
Got me accused of killing my wife,
I wouldn't harm a strand of hair in her head

Got me accused of killing my wife,
Wouldn't harm a strand of hair in her head
You know the set, I went home one evenin',
And found my wife was dead
Yes, I did
I'm gonna keep on runnin' him,
Yes, until the sole of his shoe get thin
I'm gonna keep on runnin' him,
Yes, 'til the sole of his shoe get thin
Yes, but when I catch that one old man,
I can go turn myself in
Yeah, you know a man can't help but feel bad,
When he's always on the run
Man can't help but feel bad,
When he's always on the run

You know it make him feel so bad,
When it ain't anything he have done

Overall Meaning

In the song "Fugitive Blues," Lightnin' Hopkins takes the persona of Richard Kimble, who has been on the run for a long time, just like the character from the TV show and movie "The Fugitive." However, unlike the fictional character, Kimble has been accused of murdering his wife, even though he is innocent. The lyrics suggest that he loved his wife deeply and would never harm her. When he came home one evening, he found her dead, which began his life on the run. The song paints a picture of a man who is tired and worn out from constantly looking over his shoulder and feeling guilty for a crime he didn't commit.

Despite not being guilty of the crime, Kimble can't turn himself in because he knows he won't get a fair trial. Instead, he keeps running until the man who actually committed the murder is caught, and then he can clear his name. The lyrics suggest that being on the run takes a toll on a person's mental and emotional well-being. The stress and guilt of the situation lead Kimble to feel bad about himself, even though he is innocent. The song is meant to highlight the injustice of the accusation and the cruelty of the situation that Kimble finds himself in.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, they named me Richard Kimble, 'cause I been runnin' so long
The singer has been on the run from the authorities for so long that they've given him a nickname.

Yeah, you know they got me accused of murder, When I ain't did no one wrong
The singer has been falsely accused of murder and is being hunted by the police even though he is innocent.

Got me accused of killing my wife, I wouldn't harm a strand of hair in her head
The singer has been specifically accused of killing his own wife, but he did not harm her in any way.

You know the set, I went home one evenin', And found my wife was dead Yes, I did
The artist discovered his wife's dead body inside their home one evening, and he is emphasizing the fact that he did not murder her.

I'm gonna keep on runnin' him, Yes, until the sole of his shoe get thin
The artist will continue to run from the authorities until they catch up to him, and he will keep running even after his shoes are worn out.

Yes, but when I catch that one old man, I can go turn myself in
The singer plans to turn himself in, but only after he has caught the real murderer.

Man can't help but feel bad, When he's always on the run You know it make him feel so bad, When it ain't anything he have done
The constant pursuit from the authorities weighs heavily on the singer's conscience and makes him feel guilty even though he is innocent.

Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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