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.".
Give Me Central 209
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hello hello Central, will you please give me 209
Yes, you know I wanna talk to my baby
Woh Lord and she’s way down the line
Seem like the buses done stop runnin'
And the trains don't allow me to ride no more
Seem like the buses done stop runnin'
Ticket agent said my ticket played out
He’ll see that I don't ride for sure
I turned around from the telephone
Went walkin straight back home
Mmmmm-mmm turned around from the telephone
I went walkin straight back home
I was praying in my heart
Askin' Jesus Oh Lord now
What wrong have I done
In Lightnin' Hopkins's song Give Me Central 209, the singer is desperate to reach his lover who is located down the line, but he cannot because he is out of transportation options. He turns to the long-distance telephone to connect with his lover, but he is unable to reach her because the operator keeps telling him that he needs to wait. The singer is feeling hopeless and alone as he tries to find a way to connect with his lover. He sings, "seems like the buses done stop running" and "train don't allow me to ride no more" to emphasize how stuck he is in his situation. Even the ticket agent who he speaks to cannot help him as he tells the singer that his ticket is no longer valid.
Feeling defeated, the singer turns away from the telephone and walks back home, where he prays and asks Jesus what he has done wrong. The lyrics evoke a deep sense of loneliness and isolation that the singer is experiencing as he tries to find a way to connect with his lover. This song highlights the struggles of communication and transportation that existed during that time and showcases the emotional toll it can take.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello Central, Please give me 209
Requesting the operator to connect the call to number 209
Hello hello Central, will you please give me 209
Repeating the request to the operator
Yes, you know I wanna talk to my baby
Expressing the desire to talk to his beloved
Woh Lord and she’s way down the line
Mentioning that his baby is located far away
Seem like the buses done stop runnin'
Observing that there are no more bus services
And the trains don't allow me to ride no more
Not being allowed to travel by trains anymore
Ticket agent said my ticket played out
Being told by the ticket agent that he cannot travel anymore
He’ll see that I don't ride for sure
Being sure that the ticket agent will keep him from riding the train
I turned around from the telephone
Leaving the telephone booth
Went walkin straight back home
Walking straight back home
Mmmmm-mmm turned around from the telephone
Sighing before leaving the telephone booth
I was praying in my heart
Praying in his mind silently
Askin' Jesus Oh Lord now
Seeking help from Jesus
What wrong have I done
Questioning if he has done anything wrong to deserve this situation
Contributed by Nicholas G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@theherbpuffer
BB King said this was the first Lightnin song he heard and immediately knew he was the real deal.
@kostaburgess4373
There's something about the sudden switch to the minor key in the intro that makes you sit up so fast (0:07)... And from the first "Hello Central" you learn everything you need to know about this dude. What a song.
@mavstevens
Haunting and soul crushingly beautiful
@joeschmoe6306
My favorite Lightnin' song..
@danielmcnulty50
blues that make you miss the one you love when she's away.
@williamminarcik3463
I think it gets no better than this.
@paulkersey1007
I just want to cry listening to this song. I don't know why.
@americadeserved9-11covid6
Maybe because it's blues and it's sad?
@90deltaderivatives35
Jesus Didnt Exist, No Proof, Look It Up this makes me feel the happiest I’ve ever felt, if you feel sad you have some deep work to do in yourselves cause the vibes on this are far from sad.
@paulkersey1007
@@90deltaderivatives35 Why are you pulling religion into this? Ain't got nothing to do with religion.