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.".
Long Way from Home
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, I may take you and we'll be through
Spoken: I know you be wonderin' what we be through with,
But I'm gonna tell ya, next time I take a trip down south
Little girl I may take you and we'll be trough
Yes, we'll be through with these people's keep on a tellin' us
Last time I'm gonna tell you, little girl, somebody's got to go
Last time I got to tell you, little girl, somebody's got to go
You know it may be, ol' Lightnin', baby, neither one of us sure don't know
The first verse sets up the possibility of a trip down south, and Lightnin' Hopkins invites his partner to come with him. However, there's a sense of ambiguity in the lyrics as he doesn't really say what they will be through with. In the spoken part of the song, he addresses directly the listener, acknowledging that such an invitation could raise suspicion and giving some explanation about what he means. However, he still doesn't go into explicit detail.
The second verse is clearer on the subject. Lightnin' wants to be free of people who tell them what to do, and he thinks that this trip down south could help them do that. He expresses a heartfelt yearning for freedom, and he is inviting his partner to be his accomplice. However, in the last verse, he acknowledges that he doesn't really know how to achieve that freedom or if it's even possible. Nevertheless, he's determined to go through with it, regardless of the outcome.
Overall, "Long Way From Home" is a blues song that speaks of frustration and aspiration. It touches on the theme of oppression and racism, which were pervasive problems in the South during the time in which Hopkins wrote the song. The lyrics suggest the desire to escape from the impositions of society and find oneself in a more favorable condition. The song's repeated hook, "Long Way from Home," recurs throughout, reminding the listener that the journey to transcend societal barriers is both long and arduous.
Line by Line Meaning
Next time I take a trip, down south, baby
I know you may be curious about where we are going, but when I take a trip down south, I might take you with me.
Little girl I may take you and we'll be through
If I take you with me, we will be able to leave behind the people who are trying to control what we do in this world.
Yes, we'll be through with these people's keep on a tellin' us
We will be done with the individuals who consistently tell us what to do.
In this world, what they want us to do
We will be moving away from the societal pressures that dictate the way we should live our lives.
Last time I'm gonna tell you, little girl, somebody's got to go
I am urging you to understand that we cannot keep living like this, and we need to make a change, even if that means leaving certain people or things behind.
Last time I got to tell you, little girl, somebody's got to go
I am emphasizing the importance of making a change and leaving certain aspects of our lives behind.
You know it may be, ol' Lightnin', baby, neither one of us sure don't know
We may not know what the future holds for us, but we need to make a change and take a risk in order to find out.
Contributed by Annabelle N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.