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.".
Intro
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For youve got smething of mine,
Im sure i like this black cadillac in the morning,
My black Cadillac in the morning,
Yeah, my black cadillac,
Weve been married for a while,
She said step on it,
His face is running,
He said i dont know,
I dont want to get a ticket,
She said step on this thing,
She said if this thing dont go,
I dont want to ride this cadillac no more,
He said well im gonna let the hammer down,
If you see a red light,
Run over it and get a ticket,
'Cos he said, no i aint gonna get no ticket,
If i can make a breathe
That thing was wide open man,
My black Cadillac,
it left me and i had to sell my sugar in fact,
Hit and run alright,
whooah baby,
Will you come on back,
Got something that i sure dont lack,
Yes, its my black cadillac,
My black cadillac in the morning,
yeaah, my black cadillac,
with white worn tyres,
And this is what she told me,
I know your cadillac is,
Its really black,
I know you got that white on the tyre,
But i got a black man on the side,
White eyes and white teeth,
oooh, Lightning you cant kiss me,
no lightning you cant get me,
Well, its obvious still,
Where, oh, where can it be,
I stopped in the parking lot,
Then i parked in the bus's block,
I caught him,
But what good would it do,
That cadillac wouldnt run for me,
And it wont run for you,
The song "Big Car Blues" by Lightnin' Hopkins tells the story of a man who has lost his black Cadillac to a woman who has taken it and has now disappeared with it. He is asking her to come back as he needs his car back. He refers to the Cadillac as his "wife" and tells the story of the night she was taken. The woman had asked him to drive faster when he was hesitant, and he obliged. However, soon after, she asked him to run a red light, and he refused for fear of getting a ticket. She then urged him to go faster or she wouldn't ride in the car anymore. He then stepped on the gas pedal and drove as fast as he could until she disappeared with his car.
The man is left alone, and he attempts to find his Cadillac, but he has no luck. He even catches the thief, but the car wouldn't start, and he couldn't take it back. In the end, he had to sell his "sugar" (likely meaning his woman or something valuable) because of the loss of his car, which is his pride and joy. The loss of the car has left him with the "Big Car Blues," a feeling of despair and depression.
Overall, the song conveys a story of possessions and loss, showcasing the significance of material possessions and the emotional attachment that can come with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Please come on back,
Asking someone to return something they borrowed
For youve got smething of mine,
Acknowledging that the person has something that belongs to him
Im sure i like this black cadillac in the morning,
Expressing appreciation for his black Cadillac car
My black Cadillac in the morning,
Further emphasizing his appreciation for his black Cadillac car
Yeah, my black cadillac,
Repeating his ownership of the black Cadillac car
Weve been married for a while,
Metaphorically comparing his relationship with his car to a marriage and emphasizing the long duration of ownership
She was sitting in that car 'cos he could sure drive,
Stating that someone was sitting in the car with him because of his good driving skills
She said step on it,
Requesting the driver to accelerate
His face is running,
Observing the passenger's reaction to the car's speed
He said i dont know,
Responding hesitantly to the passenger's request to accelerate
I dont want to get a ticket,
Explaining why he is reluctant to speed up
She said step on this thing,
Urging the driver to accelerate further
She said if this thing dont go,
Warning that the car's failure to accelerate may result in her not wanting to ride it
I dont want to ride this cadillac no more,
Expressing that the passenger may not want to continue using the car anymore
He said well im gonna let the hammer down,
Agreeing to the passenger's demand to accelerate and expressing it in slang
If you see a red light,
Jokingly suggesting that the passenger run over a red light to get a ticket
Run over it and get a ticket,
Continuing the joke about running over a red light
'Cos he said, no i aint gonna get no ticket,
Delivering the punchline of the joke that he does not want to get a ticket
If i can make a breathe
Referring to the car's speed using slang
That thing was wide open man,
Describing the car's acceleration using slang
My black Cadillac,
Referring to the car again
it left me and i had to sell my sugar in fact,
Implying that he lost the car and had to sell something valuable as a result
Hit and run alright,
Suggesting that the car may have been involved in a hit and run accident
whooah baby,
Exclaiming in surprise or admiration
Will you come on back,
Requesting someone to return
Got something that i sure dont lack,
Implying that he has something valuable
Yes, its my black cadillac,
Repeating that he is referring to his black Cadillac car
with white worn tyres,
Describing the condition of the car's tires
And this is what she told me,
Introducing a conversation with someone
I know your cadillac is,
Quoting the person's statement about his car
Its really black,
Agreeing that the car is black
I know you got that white on the tyre,
Acknowledging the white on the car's tires
But i got a black man on the side,
Revealing that someone else has a black man or lover
White eyes and white teeth,
Describing the appearance of the person's eyes and teeth
oooh, Lightning you cant kiss me,
Rejecting the person's advances
no lightning you cant get me,
Repeating the rejection of the person's advances
Well, its obvious still,
Reflecting on the situation and stating that it is clear
Where, oh, where can it be,
Asking where something is located
I stopped in the parking lot,
Describing a situation where he stopped in a parking lot
Then i parked in the bus's block,
Stating that he parked in the bus's area
I caught him,
Claiming to have caught someone
But what good would it do,
Questioning the use of catching someone
That cadillac wouldnt run for me,
Reaffirming his loss of the car
And it wont run for you,
Suggesting that the car is not available to anyone else either
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAM HOPKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CodeineSkeeter
Any time i see a black man with grey on his face or head holding a guitar his name becomes SIR the pioneers of the blues must be bowed to
@murattaner7384
Started attemptin Guitar Lightnin 55 years ago, still workin at it
Got a 1930s Gibson just yesterday will also attempr Tupelo Blues bu John Lee
Bless You Kırk:))))
Kirk Fletcher thank you for keeping the Blues alive and talking about some of Lightnin Hopkins' techniques. I was born in Houston Texas in 1951. Lightnin Hopkins and Bobby "Blue" Bland were part of my upbringing.
@markalvord7834
My Grampa used to play blues like that reluctantly just to make me be impressed. I always thought the world of him. Thanks for bringing back that memory. You have a great talent. I’m working on mine. Love it
@DavidtheWelder748
This is so awesome! Thank you very much. You have an amazing talent.
@GimmieCookie
It’s Easter TODAY! Exactly one year later what a coincidence
@canterbilly1
Great as always Kirk. I can get lost in a Lightnin' Hopkins boogie for hours!
@mintran
I love Lightnin Hopkins and I love Kirk Fletcher!
@Keaneo
Your the man Kirk ✌️
@patdonohue3064
I love this guy! Besides being great, the true joy he gets from playing is infectious. Makes me happy.