Rolling And Tumbling
Memphis Slim Lyrics
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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
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
The lyrics to Memphis Slim's song Rolling and Tumbling tell the story of a man who has been rolling and tumbling throughout the night, crying and feeling lost. He woke up the next morning not sure of the right or wrong things to do. Before he left town, he told his baby not to let anyone tear his barrelhouse down. In the second stanza, he uses the metaphor of a whiskey river to describe how he would dive to the bottom and never come up. He's saying that he's so lost and confused that he would rather drown in a sea of whiskey than face his problems in the real world. He ends the song by saying he could have had a religion to guide him, but instead, he chose whiskey and women, and they won't let him pray.
The song is a classic blues tune, drawing on traditional blues themes of heartache and hard times. The rolling and tumbling imagery is a reference to the ups and downs of life, while the whiskey and women are symbolic of vices that can hold people back. The idea of not being able to pray suggests a lack of hope or faith that things will ever get better, a feeling that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long
I was in a state of great distress, experiencing constant turmoil and weeping throughout the night
Well, I woke up this mornin', didn't know right from wrong
After a restless night, I felt disoriented and unsure about what I should do next
Well, don't you let nobody, tear my barrelhouse down
I begged my significant other to protect our home and possessions from harm while I was away
Well, if the river was whiskey, and I was a divin' duck
I fantasized about a world where my favorite drink was as abundant and inviting as a river, and imagined myself diving into it like a duck
Well, I could a had a religion, this bad old thing instead
I considered giving up on my spiritual beliefs and instead focusing on my vices, despite their negative impact on my life
Well, all whiskey and women, would not let me pray
My excessive indulgence in alcohol and women prevented me from engaging in prayer and introspection
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MCKINLEY MORGANFIELD, MUDDY WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind