Mean Red Spider
Muddy Waters Lyrics


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I got a mean red spider, and she been webbin' all over town
I got a mean red spider, and she been webbin' all over town
I'm gonna get me a mean black spider, so I can tear her cobweb down
I got a break comin', no need for me to moan
I got a break is sho' comin', no need for me to moan

That's jus' a mean red spider, she's breakin' up my happy home
All right stop this stuff man
Go ahead man
If I don't go crazy, I will surely lose my mind




Well you know if I don't go crazy, I will surely lose my mind
That's jus' a mean red spider, and she jus' bother me all the time

Overall Meaning

The song Mean Red Spider by Muddy Waters can be interpreted as a tale of a man who is facing problems in his life due to a woman who is causing him trouble. The singer compares this woman to a mean red spider that has been weaving webs all over town, which is a metaphor for the negative impact she is having on his life. He expresses his frustration and helplessness when he sings "If I don't go crazy, I will surely lose my mind", highlighting how this situation is affecting his mental health. He states that he is going to get himself a mean black spider to tear down the cobweb that the red spider has created, which can be interpreted as him trying to take action to rectify his situation.


The lyrics also talk about the singer having a "break" coming, which can be interpreted as a change or good luck coming his way. He emphasizes that he does not need to moan about his situation because he knows that things will get better. However, the mean red spider is still bothering him and breaking up his happy home. The song highlights the struggle of the singer as he is trying to come to terms with the difficulties in his life and is looking for a way out.


Line by Line Meaning

I got a mean red spider, and she been webbin' all over town
There is an unpleasant and nagging presence in my life that seems to be getting around and causing trouble.


I'm gonna get me a mean black spider, so I can tear her cobweb down
I plan to find a solution to my problem that will remove it entirely.


I got a break comin', no need for me to moan
Things are looking up for me, so there's no reason to complain about my current situation.


That's jus' a mean red spider, she's breakin' up my happy home
The root of my troubles is this negative presence in my life that's causing problems with my home life and overall wellbeing.


If I don't go crazy, I will surely lose my mind
If I can't find a way to deal with this constant source of stress, I'm afraid I'll lose control of my thoughts and emotions.


That's jus' a mean red spider, and she jus' bother me all the time
This troublesome presence is constantly getting in my way and causing me stress and annoyance.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MC KINLEY MORGANFIELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

clappersox

In my top five Muddy tunes, always loved this one!

Carlotta Frattini

Muddy Waters is the greatest blues singer!

Cora Visser

real fantastic this voice of him he is great .

Math? Music!

I believe Mud had just arrived in Chicago and this may be his first recording there.

Fat Nargie

No, he made his first recordings for Columbia in 1946 as James "Sweet Lucy" Carter and Mean Red Spider was the B side of his 5th record for Aristocrat.

Odin029

I love that picture of Muddy with the fro, the cigarette and the guild guitar. Just classic.

Caeser Romero

It looks badass, like he's sayin: Sheed!

lendl kaiser

I can hear a Robert Johnson influence here!

Gonzo_Python

@southernboygonebad I hear ya man! I don't like rap either, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't make us racist. The blues is in a whole other league, in terms of quality. This is some of the best music there is!

Eddie Cesc

Great

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