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.".
My Thoughts On The Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna get up in the morning, I believe I'll dust my blues
I gotta leave my baby, I ain't got no time to lose
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
Well I'm tired of the way she treats me, 'cause I'm about to lose my mind
I'm gonna write a letter, I better send her a telegram
She left me soon this morning, and she's got me in an awfull jam
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I gotta leave my baby, I gotta leave my hapy home
Lightnin' Hopkins's My Thoughts On The Blues is a blues classic that describes the singer's efforts to escape the feelings of sadness and loneliness associated with being in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate. The song begins with the singer thinking about how he plans to deal with his pain. He begins by talking about how he will get up in the morning and dust his blues away. He decides that he needs to leave his baby since he doesn't have any time to lose. He is experiencing a lot of heartache and doesn't want to be with someone who will treat him poorly.
In the second verse, the singer talks about his disdain for women who treat him badly all the time. He reiterates that he is tired of how his current lover treats him and that he's about to lose his mind. In the third verse, he decides that he will write a letter or send a telegram to his lover to express his feelings. He is in an awful jam because she left him so suddenly that he didn't have time to process his emotions. In the last verse, the singer expresses his belief that his time is running out. He is resigned to leaving his woman and happy home because he cannot continue living with the sadness and loneliness.
Overall, Lightnin' Hopkins's My Thoughts On The Blues is a poignant expression of heartache and the need to move on. The song is composed of simple yet evocative lyrics that capture the essence of our most profound emotions. It's no wonder that it has become a favorite of blues fans across the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna get up in the morning, I believe I'll dust my blues
I plan on starting my day by shaking off my blues and getting to work.
Gonna get up in the morning, I believe I'll dust my blues
I will make an effort to rise early and address my melancholy mood.
I gotta leave my baby, I ain't got no time to lose
I must abandon my sweetheart since I have no time to waste.
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
I am not interested in a lady who constantly mistreats me.
I don't want no woman, that'll treat me wrong all the time
Women who continually mistreat me have no appeal.
Well I'm tired of the way she treats me, 'cause I'm about to lose my mind
I've grown weary of being mistreated, and I'm on the brink of insanity.
I'm gonna write a letter, I better send her a telegram
I should compose a letter or telegram to communicate with her.
I'm gonna write a letter, I better send her a telegram
To communicate with her, I must write a message, either on paper or electronically.
She left me soon this morning, and she's got me in an awfull jam
She bailed on me early today, and now I'm in a terrible mess.
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I am convinced that my time is running out.
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
It is my belief that my remaining time is limited.
I gotta leave my baby, I gotta leave my happy home
I must bid farewell to my significant other and my blissful abode.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, O/B/O APRA AMCOS, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IKE TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jenny_jenny_nc
My lifetime storyteller. My lifetime friend. The Eternal Lightnin'. I will tell God how gratefuI I am for this man's work. Praise be to God. 🌹
Orchid Planter
Thank you for this interview clip! Not many interview clips of him out there, so it was refreshing to find one!
Les Blackwell
Jesus Christ.. what a wise and charismatic person.
Mark Kleindorf
Mandatory application for public education ,,, NOLA
artie Larengano
Damn straight