Louise Johnson traveled with Charley Patton, Son House, and Willie Brown fr… Read Full Bio ↴Louise Johnson traveled with Charley Patton, Son House, and Willie Brown from the Mississippi Delta to Grafton, WI, to participate in a famed country blues recording session for Paramount Records held on May 28, 1930. On that day, Johnson cut her only known tracks, four pieces of barrelhouse piano blues, including the brazen and lusty "On the Wall." Clarence Lofton has claimed to be the piano player on these tracks, while Son House (who provided spoken interjections for Johnson's recordings, although some say it was actually Willie Brown who did the speaking) has maintained that Johnson did her own playing on all four songs, and it seems likely that she did. In a further bit of blues soap opera, Johnson reportedly started the journey to Grafton as Patton's girlfriend, only to return to Mississippi as the girlfriend of Son House, a turn of events that Patton turned into the song "Joe Kirby Blues" (Johnson lived on the Joe Kirby plantation north of Robinsonville, MS, at the time). Johnson was a sexy and fiery singer and an adept pianist, and one wishes she could have recorded more than four songs, but her performance on that day in Wisconsin provides at least a glimpse of her style.

Long Way from Home
Louise Johnson Lyrics

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Lord I woke up this morning blues all around my bed
Lord I woke up this morning blues all around my bed
I never had no good man, I mean to ease my worried head

Now now now now now, I cried like a newborn child
Now now now now now, I cried like a newborn child
Lord even when I was a baby, I wasn′t satisfied

Well I'm going I′m going daddy to worry you off my mind
Well I'm going I'm going daddy to worry you off my mind
Because you keeps me worried baby: and troubled all the time

I said Lord have mercy I mean Lord have mercy on me
I said Lord have mercy I mean Lord have mercy on me
I said Lord have mercy: mercy′s all I need

Lord???: and I fell down on my knees

Lord???: and I fell down on my knees
Well I done cried, I cried, Lord have mercy on me

Overall Meaning

Louise Johnson's song "Long Way From Home" describes the singer's feelings of loneliness and despair. The song begins with the singer waking up with the blues all around their bed; this suggests that the singer has been feeling down for a while, and it hasn't gone away. The singer then expresses their desire for a good man to ease their worried head. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been looking for love and companionship but hasn't found it yet.

The song continues with the singer crying like a newborn child, which suggests that they are feeling vulnerable and helpless. The singer then states that even when they were a baby, they weren't satisfied. This could mean that the singer has always felt a sense of discontentment or that they have been searching for something their whole life.

The song's chorus suggests that the singer is leaving their present situation to find peace of mind. The words, "Well, I'm going, I'm going daddy to worry you off my mind," indicates that the singer is leaving someone who has caused them a great deal of worry and trouble. The song ends with the singer asking for mercy and falling down on their knees.

Overall, Louise Johnson's "Long Way From Home" is a timeless expression of loneliness, desperation, and hopelessness. The singer's desire for a good man and their search for peace of mind resonates with anyone who has experienced a broken heart or feelings of isolation.

Line by Line Meaning

Lord I woke up this morning blues all around my bed
I woke up feeling very sad and miserable

I never had no good man, I mean to ease my worried head
I never had a man to comfort and support me

Now now now now now, I cried like a newborn child
I cried uncontrollably like a baby

Lord even when I was a baby, I wasn't satisfied
Even as a child, I was always discontent and unhappy

Well I'm going I'm going daddy to worry you off my mind
I'm leaving to forget about you and the worries you bring me

Because you keeps me worried baby: and troubled all the time
You cause me constant worry and trouble

I said Lord have mercy I mean Lord have mercy on me
I plead to God for mercy and help

I said Lord have mercy: mercy's all I need
All I need is God's mercy

Lord???: and I fell down on my knees
I fell to my knees in prayer

Well I done cried, I cried, Lord have mercy on me
I cried out to God for mercy

Writer(s): Louise Johnson

Contributed by Maria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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