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.".
Talkin' Some Sense
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Little girl, are you gonna wake up today?
Hello, hello baby,
spoken: I'm lookin' at ya
Little girl, is you gonna wake up today?
Just go ahead sleep on, ol' sleepy head
I'll go down on the job and draw your pay
spoken: But she's my baby
I'm gonna take you back to poor mama, little girl
Say, can't your mother talk some sense in your head?
Father would kill you, if that old man heard just what you said
That's why I'm gonna carry you back to your dear old mother
Say, can't she talk some sense in your head?
The lyrics of Lightnin' Hopkins's song Talkin' Some Sense appear to be a conversation between the singer and a young lady, whom he refers to as "little girl," and who seems to be going through a period of emotional turmoil. The singer tries to wake her up and encourages her to snap out of it and get on with her life. He asks if her mother can talk some sense into her and indicates that her father would be displeased with her behavior if he knew what she was up to. The song is a poignant expression of concern for the well-being of a wayward young woman who seems to be struggling with some serious issues.
The lyrics of Talkin' Some Sense are open to different interpretations, but one way to approach the song is to see it as a representation of the struggles of African Americans in the Jim Crow era. The singer is trying to rouse the young woman from a state of despondency and encourage her to take control of her life, but he is aware that she is facing tremendous obstacles, including racism, poverty, and social oppression. The references to her parents and her mother in particular suggest that the singer is aware of the role that family and community can play in providing support and guidance to young people, especially those who are struggling to find their way.
Overall, Talkin' Some Sense is a song that speaks to the human condition, and the difficulties that people face in their lives. The lyrics are simple but powerful, and the message is one of empathy, understanding, and hope. The singer is trying to help the young woman find a way out of her predicament, and his words are a reminder that we are all connected, and that we have a responsibility to look out for one another in times of trouble.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello baby
Greeting someone in a friendly way
Little girl, are you gonna wake up today?
Asking someone if they are going to become aware of situation/problems today
Hello, hello baby, spoken: I'm lookin' at ya
Talking to the person and acknowledging their existence
Little girl, is you gonna wake up today?
Asking someone again if they are going to become aware of the situation/problems today
Just go ahead sleep on, ol' sleepy head
Telling someone to continue to ignore the problems and sleep
I'll go down on the job and draw your pay, spoken: But she's my baby
Taking responsibility for the situation and being dedicated to the person involved
I'm gonna take you back to poor mama, little girl
Deciding to help the person go back to someone who cares for them
Say, can't your mother talk some sense in your head?
Asking if the person's mother is able to give them guidance
Father would kill you, if that old man heard just what you said
Highlighting the consequences of the person's actions or words
That's why I'm gonna carry you back to your dear old mother
Expressing the intention to take the person back to their mother who cares for them
Say, can't she talk some sense in your head?
Asking again if the person's mother is capable of giving them proper guidance
Contributed by Lila N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@javiervellido7878
One of the greatest
@AndrewVOdom
Man Alive, Hop’ !
@JoseGarcia-ev4nm
Resulta mágico escúchalo
@MrMarionwilson
Not but the best the real. Blues
@majorscope
I have the original l.p.