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.".
Shake That Thing
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I do believe, oh yeah, you can shake that thing
C'mon, c'mon baby, wow, c'mon baby, shake that thing
There's something, I ain't to blame, I just call that shake that thing
C'mon, c'mon baby, wow, c'mon baby, and shake that thing
Lookie here now, sweet thing, she like that tremor, shake that thing
One more time
One more time
The lyrics to Lightnin' Hopkins's song Shake That Thing can be interpreted as an invitation to dance and let loose. The singer doesn't know the name of the person he's addressing, but he believes that they are capable of shaking their body in a way that will bring joy and excitement to the room. The lyrics are repetitive and simple, but they convey a sense of enthusiasm and spontaneity.
The line "There's something, I ain't to blame, I just call that shake that thing" can be interpreted in different ways. It could mean that the singer doesn't know what makes the person dance so well, but he appreciates it nonetheless. It could also be interpreted as a reference to the idea of rhythm and movement being innate and natural to human beings, something that cannot be explained or controlled.
The last verse is more ambiguous, with the words "till there's colors ..." suggesting a moment of ecstatic release or transcendence. The repetition of "one more time" at the end of the song emphasizes the idea of repetition and the cyclical nature of music and dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Wow baby, I don't know your name
I am fascinated by your dance moves but I do not know who you are
But I do believe, oh yeah, you can shake that thing
I am convinced that you have the ability to impress everyone with your moves
C'mon, c'mon baby, wow, c'mon baby, shake that thing
Come on, don't be shy, show us what you have got and keep on dancing
There's something, I ain't to blame, I just call that shake that thing
I cannot resist moving my body to the rhythm of your impressive dancing skills
C'mon, c'mon baby, wow, c'mon baby, and shake that thing
I am urging you to not stop dancing and keep showing off your amazing moves
Lookie here now, sweet thing, she like that tremor, shake that thing
I am admiring how well you move and I am encouraging you to continue doing so
C'mon baby, baby shake that thing, till there's colors ..... ..... ....
Do not stop shaking it until the excitement of the dance makes everything around us glow with colors
One more time
Keep going, one more time, show us what you've got
Contributed by James M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheOpinionatedGuitarist
Why can't people just kick back, chill, and soak in some KILLER music without having to compare everyone to everyone else? Who freakin' cares, talent is talent, it's all good and it's all different. We ALL have a gift within us, unfortunately for some they concentrate on critcizing everyone elses' gift instead of actually taking that time to develop their own...
@kayewadestuntck
I love the Blues, old mostly, feel it more. And I truly enjoy the fact that we don't have to hear the "F" word in every song. Great how the older versions can sing the same content as now - Leave out all the expletives & really put the songs across.
@Akawette
Lightnin' might be my very favorite bluesman ..
@mtyemti
Experience, heartache, and trouble brother. That's the blues.
@shirleypena4133
Townes Van Zandt's all-time favourite singer/songwriter/guitarist.
@Pabloignacioalvarez
And who is he?
@Tasmanaut
@@Pabloignacioalvarez no one important, only THE greatest songwriter in recorded history
@wilsgetchell6420
I told my guitar teacher I wanted to play like Lightnin'...He said "fast"? I said no, Lightnin Hopkins !
@4horizonseyegalloway69
I said the same thing back in 1989
@ericgarner8684
this cat was a monster..love this song