Luther Allison (born 17 August 1939 in Widener, AR, died 12 August 1997 in … Read Full Bio ↴Luther Allison (born 17 August 1939 in Widener, AR, died 12 August 1997 in Madison, WI) was an American blues guitarist. His powerful guitar work – equal parts traditional blues string-bending and wall-shaking rock 'n roll – is matched in energy only by his soul-deep vocals. His live shows (often clocking in at well over three hours) are the stuff of legend.

He was born in Widener, Arkansas (the 14th of 15 musically gifted children) first connected to the blues at age ten, when he began playing the diddley bow (a wire attached by nails to a wall with rocks for bridges and a bottle to fret the wire). His family migrated to Chicago in 1951, and Luther began soaking in the sounds of Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Robert Nighthawk. He was classmates with Muddy Waters' son and occasionally stopped in the Waters' house to watch the master rehearse. It wasn't until he was 18 already in Chicago for seven years that Luther began playing blues on a real guitar and jamming with his brother Ollie's band. He began hanging outside blues clubs with the hopes of being invited to perform. He played with Howlin' Wolf's band and backed up James Cotton.

By 1957, Allison had dropped out of school and formed a band called The Rolling Stones. Unhappy with the name, they became The Four Jivers, gigging all over the West Side of Chicago. Before long, Luther was jamming with the West Side's best, including Magic Sam, Otis Rush, and Freddie King, who encouraged Allison to sing. "That," said Allison, "was my school." When King began to tour nationally in the early 1960s, Allison took over King's band as well as his weekly gigs at Walton's Corner and became one of the hottest acts on the West Side. For five years, Allison honed his craft. He moved to California for a year and cut sides with fellow Chicagoans Shakey Jake Harris and Sunnyland Slim.

His big break came in 1957 when Muddy Waters invited Allison to the stage. He worked the club circuit throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s and recorded his first single in 1965. Allison was signed to the Delmark Records label in fall 1967. He cut his first two songs as a leader on the now-classic Delmark anthology, Sweet Home Chicago, before releasing his debut album Love Me Mama. He performed a stellar, show stopping, set at the 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival and was invited to the next three consecutive festivals. He also toured nation-wide and, in 1972, was signed to Motown Records, one of the few blues artists to do so. By the mid 1970s he began touring Europe, enjoyed the warm reception by the crowds and moved to France in 1977. He wouldn't return to the United States for another fifteen years disgusted by the disco music that started there.

LUTHER ALLISON's manager and European agent Thomas Ruf founded the label Ruf Records in 1994. Since signing with Ruf Records, Allison launched a major comeback in association with Alligator Records. Alligator Records founder, Bruce Iglauer, convinced Allison to return to the States. With the release of Soul Fixin' Man in 1994, Allison's first domestic album in 20 years, he announced his return. "Fever and chills performances," said Guitar Player, "ferocious solos combine the wisdom of a master storyteller with the elegance of B.B. King, the elasticity of Buddy Guy, and the big sting of Albert King."

After three mammoth U.S. tours, America once again was paying attention to LUTHER ALLISON. On his American comeback tour, including his nationally broadcast and typically jaw-dropping set at the 1995 Chicago Blues Festival, LUTHER ALLISON announced to the world that he was not only back, he was unstoppable. And now he has the trophies to prove it, having received every award the blues has to offer. He swept the 1996 W.C.Handy Awards with five statues, won 10 Living Blues Awards and a 1995 Indie Award, and played in front of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans at festivals and clubs all over the world. He appeared on the cover of Living Blues, Blues Revue, Blues Access, and was the subject of major feature stories and reviews in Guitar Player, Guitar World, and Guitar For The Practicing Musician, as well as being featured on National Public Radio's Weekend All Things Considered and The Late Show With Conan O'Brien. "LUTHER ALLISON", proclaimed Blues Revue," is the New King of the Blues."

Allison followed up with Blue Streak, and the praise and accolades poured in. "A sonic roar as soulful as his gospel-shout vocals," raved the Washington Post. "Luther Allison's latest is nothing short of a masterpiece by a master," reported Blues Revue. Continued touring brought Allison before raving fans around the world, as he brought his band from the San Francisco Blues Festival to New York's Central Park Summerstage, with all stops in between. With Reckless, Allison reached even greater heights. Guitar World said, "Reckless in the best sense of the word, dancing on a razor's edge, remaining just this side of out-of-control. Hard-driving, piercing West Side Chicago single-note leads with a soul base and a rock edge."

Luther toured the US and Canada thoroughly and his fan base grew to his mind-blowing performances. Both Allison and Soul Fixin' Man won four WC Handy Awards in 1994. With the James Solberg Band backing him, non-stop touring and the release of Blue Streak (featuring song "Cherry Red Wine"), Allison continued to earn more Handy's and gain wider recognition. Allison scored a host of Living Blues Awards and was featured on the cover pages of major Blues publications. Throughout it all, Allison delivered one show-stopping performance after another. His boundless energy and fierce guitar attack combined to make him a blues superstar who reached rock fans like no bluesmen since Freddie King and Albert Collins. Allison was known for his strong showmanship, ten minute long guitar solos and crowd walking with an extra long cord attached to his Gibson Les Paul.

In the middle of his summer of '97 tour, Allison checked into a hospital for chest pains and breathing problems. Unfortunately, it was discovered that he had a tumor on his lung that was about to metastasize to his spine. In and out of a coma, LUTHER ALLISON died on August 12, 1997, five days before his 58th birthday. His album Reckless had just been released. Without a doubt, LUTHER ALLISON's death robbed music fans of one of the most exciting and popular blues performers ever. With Live In Chicago, Allison lives on, as he tears through the songs with the single-minded desire to give everything he has to his audience. While listening to the album, fans can immerse themselves in the explosive power of LUTHER ALLISON's music and experience the redemptive force of his legendary performances. Not only did he leave his legacy to never be forgotten, but his son Bernard Allison (born 1965) is an exceptional blues guitarist in his own right.

All the King
Luther Allison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the king's horses
All the farmer's mules
They can't even stop you
From givin' me the blues

That's wrong
Little girl you are wrong
You got my mind messed up darlin'

You're gonna make me leave our happy home

All the truck drivers you know
All the taxi drivers that take you to the town
All the men you meet in the streets
I'm the only one that didn't let you down

That's wrong baby
Little girl that's wrong
You got my mind messed up baby
You gonna miss me when I'm gone

Whatca doing out there baby
Don't you know that's wrong
One morning you'll come home
And I'll be gone
Goin' back home
Way down in Arkansas
You know we got troubles baby
But I ain't gonna get in trouble with the law
I won't get in no trouble with no law baby

I'm in trouble with you babe
I guess it's because of what you do
Whoah baby I feel I'm in trouble with you
Goin' back home
Way back down in Arkansas
Said I got in trouble with you darlin'

But I swear I won't get in trouble with the law
I'm gonna get outa here

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Luther Allison's song "All the King" talks about a relationship that has gone sour. The singer in the song is singing about their partner, who they accuse of giving them "the blues." The lyrics suggest a sense of betrayal and infidelity, with the singer listing all the men their partner has been with, yet they boast of never letting them down. The singer has had enough of the relationship, but they seem to be in love with their partner despite the hurt they have caused. They claim that their partner has messed up their mind and may lead them to leave their happy home.

The chorus repeats the lines, "That's wrong, little girl, you are wrong. You got my mind messed up, darlin', you're gonna make me leave our happy home." The singer seems to be torn between their love for their partner and the hurt they have caused. They believe their partner will miss them when they are gone, but they will not get into trouble with the law.

The song's theme is a common one, with lyrics focusing on a relationship that has gone wrong. The use of metaphors evokes the sense of betrayal and hurt the singer feels. Although the song has a slow tempo, the guitar riffs give it a melancholic feel, adding to the emotion of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

All the king's horses
Even the most powerful and influential people or things can't prevent me from feeling blue

All the farmer's mules
Even the hardworking and reliable things in life can't keep me from feeling down

They can't even stop you
You have the power to make me feel sad and defeated, even when everything else seems to be going right

From givin' me the blues
You have the ability to bring me down and make me feel sad and hopeless

That's wrong
I disagree with your behavior or actions

Little girl you are wrong
I strongly disagree with what you're doing, and it's affecting my state of mind

You got my mind messed up darlin'
Your words or actions are causing me to feel confused and upset

You're gonna make me leave our happy home
Your behavior is so disruptive and hurtful that I'm considering ending our relationship and leaving our shared home

All the truck drivers you know
Everyone you know, including those you meet on the streets or during your travels, can't compare to me

All the taxi drivers that take you to the town
Even those who are paid to take you places can't compete with the connection we have

All the men you meet in the streets
Even those you casually interact with can't compare to what we have together

I'm the only one that didn't let you down
Out of everyone in your life, I'm the only one who has been reliable and consistent for you

That's wrong baby
Your behavior or actions are disrespectful and hurtful to me

Little girl that's wrong
I strongly disagree with what you're doing, and it's affecting my state of mind

You gonna miss me when I'm gone
When I leave because of your behavior, you'll realize how much you need and miss me

Whatca doing out there baby
I'm questioning your actions and behavior

Don't you know that's wrong
Your actions are hurtful and upsetting to me

One morning you'll come home
Someday you'll return to our shared home after being away for a while

And I'll be gone
I will have left our shared home and ended our relationship due to your hurtful behavior

Goin' back home
Returning to my roots and leaving what we had behind

Way down in Arkansas
Returning to my home state and letting go of our relationship

You know we got troubles baby
Our relationship is strained and experiencing difficulties

But I ain't gonna get in trouble with the law
I won't let our relationship difficulties lead me to making poor decisions or getting involved in legal trouble

I'm in trouble with you babe
Our relationship is in trouble due to your behavior

I guess it's because of what you do
I believe your actions and behavior are the cause of the trouble in our relationship

Whoah baby I feel I'm in trouble with you
I strongly believe our relationship is in trouble due to how you're treating me

Said I got in trouble with you darlin'
I'm experiencing difficulties in our relationship due to your behavior

But I swear I won't get in trouble with the law
I won't let our relationship difficulties lead me to making poor decisions or getting involved in legal trouble

I'm gonna get outa here
I'm going to end our relationship and leave our shared home due to how hurtful and disruptive your behavior has been

Lyrics © Exceleration Music Partners, LLC
Written by: JAMES SOLBERG, LUTHER SYLVESTER ALLISON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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