Memphis Slim (3 September, 1915 in Memphis, Tennessee – 24 February, 1988 i… Read Full Bio ↴Memphis Slim (3 September, 1915 in Memphis, Tennessee – 24 February, 1988 in Paris, France) was a blues pianist and singer. His birth name was John Len Chatman although he himself claimed to be born Peter Chatman (the name he gave himself in honour of his father Peter Chatman Sr. when he first recorded for Okeh in 1940). He composed the blues standards "Every Day I Have the Blues" and "Mother Earth". Memphis Slim got his start playing the blues at the Midway Café, at 357 Beale Street (southeast corner of Fourth and Beale Streets) in Memphis in 1931. Two years before his death, Memphis Slim was named a Commander in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of France. Memphis Slim died on 24 February, 1988 in Paris, France at the age of 72. During his lifetime, he cut over 500 recordings and influenced blues pianists that followed him for decades.

Rollin
Memphis Slim Lyrics

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Well, I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long
Well, I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long
Well, I woke up this mornin', didn't know right from wrong

Well, I told my baby, before I left that town
Well, I told my baby, before I left that town
Well, don't you let nobody, tear my barrelhouse down

Well, ahh, mmm-hmmm, owww, oww ooo, aww, oww, oh
Aaa, mmm-hmmm, oww, oh oh oh owww, oww ooo, aww, oww, oh

Well, if the river was whiskey, and I was a divin' duck
Well, if the river was whiskey, and I was a divin' duck
Well, I would dive to the bottom, never would I come up

Well, I could a had a religion, this bad old thing instead

Well, I could a had a religion, this bad old thing instead
Well, all whiskey and women, would not let me pray

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Memphis Slim’s “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” paint a picture of a man who has had a long and lonely night. He rolled and tumbled, crying the whole night long, waking up not knowing right from wrong. Before he left town, he told his baby not to let anyone tear his barrelhouse down. The singer then muses about diving to the bottom of a whiskey river like a duck, emphasizing his desire to escape his current reality. He concludes the song by acknowledging that even if he were to have religion, the temptations of whiskey and women would not allow him to pray.

The song is a tribute to the Delta blues traditions of the early 20th century. The rolling and tumbling theme is a popular blues idiom that was influenced by African spiritual music. The idea of a whiskey river is a metaphor that is used to represent the escapism that drinking provides.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long
I had a hard time and cried all night long

Well, I woke up this mornin', didn't know right from wrong
I woke up confused and disoriented

Well, I told my baby, before I left that town
I warned my lover before I left to take care of something important to me

Well, don't you let nobody, tear my barrelhouse down
Don't let anyone ruin my place

Aaa, mmm-hmmm, oww, oh oh oh owww, oww ooo, aww, oww, oh
Vocal sounds indicating pain or hardship

Well, if the river was whiskey, and I was a divin' duck
If there was a river of liquor and I were an aquatic animal, I'd swim to the depths of it and never come back up

Well, I could a had a religion, this bad old thing instead
I could've followed a faith but instead chose to cling to these vices

Well, all whiskey and women, would not let me pray
My love of alcohol and women prevents me from turning to religion

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mckinley Morganfield

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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