Baty was at University of California Berkeley studying mathematics when he formed the band with Rick Estrin (born 1949). The band's music relies chiefy on electric urban blues of the Chicago variety, but mixed in with other compatible styles, including early rock and roll, soul, surf music, swing, jump blues, and western swing. The band issued their debut album, All the Way Crazy, in 1987, including the songs "Poor Tarzan", "Suicide Blues" and "When Girls Do It". The following album Disturbing the Peace (1988), included "That's My Girl", "My Money's Green", "She's Talking" and "Nervous". The records help established them on the blues festival and club circuits, and they began touring the country extensively, playing a number of international venues. They have played at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1980 and 1982, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the San Diego, California Street Scene and Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival plus the Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival in 2002.
Their 1993 album, Night Vision was produced and played on by Joe Louis Walker. It featured "My Next Ex-Wife," a witty blues-rocker that won Estrin a W.C. Handy Award for 'Song of the Year', highlighting his steadily growing reputation for songwriting prowess. Original drummer Dobie Strange left in 1996, after 20 years with the group, and his spot was taken by June Core.
In early 2008, Baty announced he was entering "soft" retirement, no longer tours with the band, except for possible reunion tours/shows in Europe and select North American festivals. Baty performed with JW-Jones at Mont Tremblant Blues Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, and Piazza Blues in Bellinzona, Switzerland in July 2009. Estrin continued with the band re-billed as Rick Estrin & the Nightcats. Baty was replaced on guitar by Chris 'Kid' Andersen (born 1980), originally from Telemark, Norway. Andersen had played backing Charlie Musselwhite as well as fronting his own band.
Baty's most recent blues recording was as a guest on JW-Jones, Bluelisted (2008), an album which marked the first time in his career that he documented his harmonica playing on a recording, and the first time he and another West Coast blues musician, Junior Watson, had recorded together on the same tracks.
The band dissolved in 2008, with three members going on to form Rick Estrin & the Nightcats.
Nervous
Little Charlie & The Nightcats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My poor heart is thumpin'.
So many strangers.
Stare an' stare at me.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous, as I can be.
My-my hands are sweatin'.
I just can't stop frettin'.
Starin' , straight at me.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous, as I can be.
I feel terrified.
I want to run and hide.
So many eyeballs.
Starin', straight at me.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous, as I can be.
Man, my kne-knees are shakin'.
My whole, my whole body's quakin'.
I, I feel insane.
I can't control my brain.
Oh, so many strangers.
Starin', straight at me.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous, as I can be.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous!
The lyrics of "Nervous" by Little Charlie & The Nightcats depict a person who is experiencing extreme anxiety in a social situation. The singer's left eye is twitching, and their heart is pounding, as they are surrounded by strangers who are staring at them. The singer is so nervous that their hands are sweating, and they can't stop fidgeting. They feel terrified and want to run and hide, but they are overwhelmed by the number of people around them. The singer's body is shaking, and they feel like they are losing control of their mind.
The lyrics of this song capture the feeling of social anxiety, a common mental health condition that affects many people. People with social anxiety experience intense fear and discomfort in social situations and may have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, or blushing. The song's repetition of the word "nervous" emphasizes the feeling of anxiety and how overwhelming it can be.
The imagery of "so many eyeballs staring straight at me" adds to the sense of being watched and judged by others. The singer's fear of being scrutinized by strangers is a common fear that people with social anxiety experience. The lyrics also suggest that the singer is struggling to maintain their composure and keep their anxiety under control.
Overall, "Nervous" by Little Charlie & The Nightcats is a powerful portrayal of social anxiety and the overwhelming fear and discomfort that people with this condition can experience.
Line by Line Meaning
My left eye's a-jumpin'.
I am experiencing physical symptoms of nervousness, like my left eye twitching.
My poor heart is thumpin'.
My heart is beating rapidly due to anxiety.
So many strangers.
I am in a public setting where I am surrounded by unfamiliar people.
Stare an' stare at me.
These strangers are staring at me, causing me to feel self-conscious.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous, as I can be.
All of these factors are causing me to feel extremely anxious.
My-my hands are sweatin'.
I am so nervous that I am sweating profusely, especially in my hands.
I just can't stop frettin'.
I am consumed by worry and cannot stop fretting about the situation.
So many eyeballs.
I feel like I am being watched by a large number of people.
Starin', straight at me.
All of these people are staring intently at me, adding to my anxiety.
Man, my kne-knees are shakin'.
I am so nervous that my knees are shaking uncontrollably.
My whole, my whole body's quakin'.
I am trembling and shaking all over due to the intensity of my nerves.
I, I feel insane.
My anxiety has reached a level where I feel like I am losing my mind.
I can't control my brain.
My anxiety is so intense that my mind feels completely out of my control.
Oh, so many strangers.
The large number of people around me are making me feel overwhelmed and anxious.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous, as I can be.
All of these factors are resulting in me feeling extremely nervous and anxious.
I feel, n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous!
I am so nervous that I need to emphasize it with an exclamation point.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JO ANN CAMPBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind