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.".
Jailhouse Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I wouldn't mind staying in jail, but I've gotta stay there so long
You know it seem like all my friends, you know they done shook hands and gone
Thirty days in jail, with my back turned to the wall
Thirty days in jail, with my back turned to the wall
Yes you know some other skinner must be kickin' in my stall
Hey mister jailer, will you please sir bring me the key
I just want you to open the door, cause this ain't no place for me
The lyrics to Lightnin' Hopkins's song Jailhouse Blues are a reflection of the despair and hopelessness felt by someone who has been incarcerated for a lengthy period of time. The singer begins by stating that he wouldn't mind staying in jail, but it is the lengthy sentence that is weighing him down. He feels isolated and disconnected from the outside world as he sees his friends come and go, signifying that life is moving on without him. The singer is resigned to his fate as he spends thirty days in jail with his back turned to the wall, indicating that he feels trapped and unable to change his circumstances. He realizes that he has been replaced by someone else, as he refers to another "skinner" kicking in his cell. This feeling of being replaced and forgotten adds to his anguish and makes him question his worth.
The singer then pleads with the jailer to bring him the key, as he just wants to be released from the confinement that is causing him so much pain. He acknowledges that being in jail is not the place for him and longs to be free once again. The lyrics suggest that being locked up can cause a person to lose their sense of self-worth and connection to the world. Even though the singer is resigned to his fate, he clings to the hope for freedom, which may provide a sense of redemption and a chance to start again.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I wouldn't mind staying in jail, but I've gotta stay there so long
Although I wouldn't mind staying here, since I have to be here for an extended period of time, it's becoming bothersome.
You know it seem like all my friends, you know they done shook hands and gone
It appears as though all my acquaintances have said goodbye and moved on with their lives.
Thirty days in jail, with my back turned to the wall
I have been here for a month, facing the wall with no interaction.
Yes you know some other skinner must be kickin' in my stall
Someone else is occupying my cell and using my belongings.
Hey mister jailer, will you please sir bring me the key
Excuse me, jailer. Can you kindly bring me the key to this cell?
I just want you to open the door, cause this ain't no place for me
I would appreciate it greatly if you could unlock the door, as this isn't a desirable location for me.
Contributed by Victoria S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shirleytigg8432
My grandpa's would play the blues with a
Big smile on..his face as though he saying u
Did'nt get the best of
Me...
See.he worked hard..
In life he was a share
Croppers son..out of
A racist georgia..
This guy is just his
Refection of.... good times..way way
Down south!
@holyspacemonkey
Lightnin’ recorded this on July 26, 1961 at my grandfather Bill Holford’s ACA Studios in Houston. That’s my grandpa talking at the beginning. ❤️ He engineered this recording and a lot of Lightnin’s other work, too.
@kelseyhicks7736
i dont know how or whether he's still doing, but if you can then you oughtta give him a thanks on our behalf
@holyspacemonkey
@@kelseyhicks7736 Thank you! Unfortunately he died of ALS in 1999. I miss him so much.
@detlevdiegel6465
Great respect and 'One love' to you Nicole. What a privilege to have known him
@detlevdiegel6465
Or rather, yr grandpa to have passed on the story
@frmthesoulfiddle
love how he reluctantly says 1 2 3 4, then plays at a completely different tempo.
@egtalbot
was thinking the same thing :)
@mabudia4177
frmthesoulfiddle "Lightnin change when Lightning wanna change"..
@davidweinstock4977
he was really an original. i used to go see him when he came to nyc. always an inspiration.
@gertweber157
A clue, that 'tempo' seems to be rather overestimated...