He first came to prominence as a session player on Bob Dylan's HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED, and as one of two lead guitar players in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. After only two albums with Butterfield, Bloomfield started his own band, the Electric Flag, but left that band too, before its first album had even been released. A series of collaborations with Al Kooper (another HIGHWAY 61 session man, who contributed the distinctive organ on "Like a Rolling Stone"), and good friend Nick Gravenites.
The seventies saw Bloomfield's rapid retreat from the spotlight. Recordings from the late sixties reveal some of the difficulties he had with insomnia, by the seventies (and probably before) he had already become deeply involved in drug use.
Nonetheless, with the pressure to succeed in abeyance, Bloomfield recorded some of his most interesting and enduring work in the seventies, mostly for smaller record labels. Most notable of these was an album called IF YOU LOVE THESE BLUES, PLAY 'EM AS YOU PLEASE, an instructional disc of various styles of Blues recorded and released by Guitar Player magazine. In addition to being a critical success (it was nominated for a Grammy), IF YOU LOVE THESE BLUES amply demonstrates the warmth of Bloomfield's devotion to the blues, and his mastery of a wide range of styles.
Michael Bloomfield died in February of 1981, of an accidental Heroin overdose.
Killing Floor
Michael Bloomfield Lyrics
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I should of quit you, babe, long time ago
I should of quit you, and went on to Mexico
If I had of followed, my first mind
If I had of followed, my first mind
I'd of been gone, since my second time
A
I should of went on, when my friend come from Mexico at me
But no I was foolin' with ya, baby, I let ya put me on the killin' floor
Lord knows, I should of been gone
Lord knows, I should of been gone
And I wouldn't have been here, down on the killin' floor
Yeah
The lyrics of Michael Bloomfield's "Killing Floor" explore themes of regret and missed opportunities. The singer of the song reflects on the decisions that he should have made in the past, namely leaving a relationship that has brought him nothing but pain and suffering. He repeatedly says that he should have quit his lover "a long time ago" and that he should have followed "my first mind" and left her after their second time together. The line "I let ya put me on the killin' floor" suggests that his lover is responsible for his current state of misery, but he also acknowledges that he could have avoided it if he had made different choices.
Line by Line Meaning
I should of quit you, a long time ago
I regret not leaving you a long time ago
I should of quit you, babe, long time ago
I regret not quitting you long ago, my love
I should of quit you, and went on to Mexico
I should've left you and gone to Mexico
If I had of followed, my first mind
If I had listened to my instincts
If I had of followed, my first mind
If I had listened to my instincts
I'd of been gone, since my second time
I would have left you after our second encounter
I should of went on, when my friend come from Mexico at me
I should have left when my friend warned me about you coming from Mexico
I should of went on, when my friend come from Mexico at me
I should have left when my friend warned me about you coming from Mexico
But no I was foolin' with ya, baby, I let ya put me on the killin' floor
But instead, I was foolishly involved with you, my baby, and allowed you to manipulate me into a dangerous situation
Lord knows, I should of been gone
God knows I should have left
Lord knows, I should of been gone
God knows I should have left
And I wouldn't have been here, down on the killin' floor
I wouldn't be in this fatal situation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Chester Burnett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind