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.".
Rock Me Mama
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rock me baby, rock me all night long
Rock me baby, rock me all night long
I want you to bend your back girl,
like your back ain't got no bone
See me comin', go get your rockin' chair
Ya know I ain't no stranger,
poor Lightnin' once lived over here
Rock me baby, one time before you go
Lightnin' Hopkins's "Rock Me Mama" is a blues song and was released in 1964 as a part of his album "Lightnin' Hopkins." The lyrics of the song describe Lightnin' asking his lover to rock him all night long. He desires his girl to bend her back like it has no bone. Lightnin' wants to enjoy the night with his girl, and the only way he can have that is when she rocks and moves with him. He promises to rock his girl one last time before he leaves.
The lyrics of the song depict the essence of the blues genre, with its slow tempo, rhythm, and rhyme patterns that make it musically catchy. The song is a part of the traditional blues form of music that features a solo artist playing and singing intimate and personal stories of their experiences. Lightnin' Hopkins was known for his simple, intimate approach in his songwriting, and "Rock Me Mama" is the perfect example of that.
Moreover, the song has gained more popularity over the years, with covers from various musicians, including Bob Dylan, who adapted the song for his Grammy-award-winning track hit "Wagon Wheel." However, Hopkins's original version remains the most popular and highly regarded version. The song's lyrics and melody remain significant in the history of blues and are still enjoyed today. It is a classic blues tune that showcases the beauty of simple, soulful music.
Line by Line Meaning
Rock me baby, rock me all night long
Please keep rocking me the whole night, my love
Rock me baby, rock me all night long
Never stop rocking me, darling
I want you to bend your back girl, like your back ain't got no bone
Please move your body in a way that shows no pain, my love
See me comin', go get your rockin' chair
Prepare yourself, my love, for I'm coming to see you
See me comin' baby, go get your rockin' chair
Oh, girl, I'm on my way, so sit down and relax
Ya know I ain't no stranger, poor Lightnin' once lived over here
Don't be afraid, my love, because I'm not a stranger, I used to live here
Rock me baby, one time before you go
Please, my love, rock me one more time before we go
Contributed by Kennedy Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cora Visser
This is my favorite also brilliant blues.
ballygassoon
Wow!
Tony Freeman
a
Tony Freeman
Bill evens
Tony Freeman
Bill evens