His parents, who were farmers, died when McDowell was a youth. He started playing guitar at the age of 14 and played at dances around Rossville. Wanting a change from ploughing fields, he moved to Memphis in 1926 where he worked in a number of jobs and played music for tips. He settled in Como, Mississippi, about 40 miles south of Memphis, in 1940 or 1941, and worked steadily as a farmer, continuing to perform music at dances, and picnics. Initially he played slide guitar using a pocket knife and then a slide made from a beef rib bone, later switching to a glass slide for its clearer sound. He played with the slide on his ring finger.
A pure hill country blues musician, he played "just the straight, natural blues," and he "do not play no rock and roll." McDowell initially played the recognizable resonator guitar but, during tours and recordings beginning in the 1960s, he adopted the use of electric guitar and was probably the first original delta- or country blues musician to do so. McDowell's style is distinctive and recognizable; perhaps the dirtiest sounding guitarist ever and one of the most influential. The slide guitar styles of Bonnie Raitt as well as Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, as well as Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys are all heavily influenced by McDowell's technique.
McDowell died of cancer in 1972 and is buried at Hammond Hill M.B. Church, between Como and Senatobia. On August 6, 1993 a memorial was placed on the gravesite of Mississippi Fred McDowell at the Hammond Hill Baptist Church cemetery by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund.
Kokomo Blues
Mississippi Fred McDowell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will ever hold
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!
Blue moon!
Now I'm no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Mississippi Fred McDowell's song "Kokomo Blues" is a classic blues song that tells a story of love and loss. The opening lines refer to a "blue moon" which represents an uncommon occurrence, something rare and magical. The singer describes standing alone without any dreams or love in his heart, and expressing the need for someone to care for. He then reports that the blue moon knew what he was there for, and after saying a prayer, he meets the object of his affection who is the only one that his arms will ever hold. When someone asks him to adore them, he looks up and sees the moon has turned to gold, representing his delight in this newfound love. Finally, the singer announces that he is no longer alone and has found his dream and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue moon you saw me standing alone
I was alone and feeling lost, like a blue moon rising alone in the sky.
Without a dream in my heart
I had no aspirations or hopes, nothing to look forward to in life.
Without a love of my own
I had no one to share my life with, no one to love or be loved by.
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
The blue moon could see and understand my loneliness and longing for companionship.
You heard me saying a prayer for
I was silently praying to find someone to love and who would love me in return.
Someone I really could care for
I was dreaming of someone who I could connect with emotionally and truly care about.
And then there suddenly appeared before me
Out of nowhere, my dream of finding a love came true.
The only one my arms will ever hold
I found the one person who I will love and embrace for the rest of my life.
I heard somebody whisper 'Please adore me'
The person I found was asking me to love and cherish them, to adore them for who they truly are.
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!
My life has transformed from blue to golden, from feeling lost to finding true love.
Blue moon!
The blue moon was a witness to my search for love and it finally paid off.
Now I'm no longer alone
With the love of my life by my side, I am no longer lonely and lost in life.
Without a dream in my heart
My dream of finding love has come true, and I no longer feel empty and hopeless.
Without a love of my own
I have finally found the love I have been searching for.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: KOKOMO ARNOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind