Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an … Read Full Bio ↴Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist, from Centerville, Texas. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

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.".

So Long Baby
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So long, baby, baby, so long
Oh, God, I would tell you on a telephone
So long, baby, baby, so long
Now, goodbye

I don't want to worry you
Neither hurt you too
Out of all the work that you do

So long there, baby
So long, baby, so long

Don't mistreat me
Call whenever your alone
Everyday I'm gonna call you on your telephone

So long now baby, baby, so long
Now, goodbye

Overall Meaning

In Lightnin' Hopkins's song, "So Long Baby," the singer is expressing his farewell to his love interest. The song opens with the repetition of "so long, baby, baby, so long," indicating that the singer has accepted that it is time to leave. He adds that he would prefer to have this conversation over the phone, which is a sign of the strain their relationship has gone through. The repetition of "goodbye" towards the end of the song puts a finality on their relationship.

In the second verse, the artist pleads with his love interest not to worry or hurt herself over their separation. He vaguely hints that she may have wronged him in some way, but he does not want to bring it up as it may cause hurt. The lines, "out of all the work that you do, so long there, baby" carry an undertone of bitterness towards the woman. The coming together of "out of all the work that you do" and "so long there, baby" accentuates the belief of the singer that his lover might have employed herself more in pursuing her interests rather than him.

Line by Line Meaning

So long, baby, baby, so long
I am saying farewell to you, my love

Oh, God, I would tell you on a telephone
I wish I could talk to you over the phone and explain everything

So long, baby, baby, so long
I am repeating my goodbye to emphasize my departure

Now, goodbye
I am leaving you behind

I don't want to worry you
I want to leave without causing you to worry

Neither hurt you too
I don't want to cause you any pain or distress

Out of all the work that you do
Despite all the things you do for me

So long there, baby
Goodbye, my dear

So long, baby, so long
I am saying farewell once more before I go

Don't mistreat me
Please do not treat me poorly

Call whenever your alone
Call me whenever you are alone and feel lonely