Still A Fool
Muddy Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, they ain't never, no, going my way
Well, now, one run at midnight and the other one
Running just 'fore day
It's running just 'fore day
It's running just 'fore day
Oh Lord, sure 'nough they is
Oh well
Mm mm, ho ho
Somebody help me, ho, with these blues
Well, now, she's the one I'm loving, she's the one
I do hate to lose
I do hate to lose
I do hate to lose
Oh Lord, sure 'nough I do
Oh well
I been crazy, yes, I been a fool
I been crazy, oh, all of my life
Well I done fell in love with a
With another man's wife
With another man's wife
With another man's wife
Oh Lord, sure 'nough I done
Oh well
Lord, she's so long and tall
Till she weep like a willow tree
Well, now, they say she's no good, but she's all right
She's all right with me
She's all right, she's all right
She's all right, she's all right
In Muddy Waters's song "Still a Fool," the lyrics describe the singer's troubles as he pines after a woman who does not reciprocate his feelings. The opening lines use the metaphor of two trains running to suggest a feeling of being stuck or left behind. Though the trains represent some kind of opportunity or potential movement, they are both running in a direction that is not accessible to the singer, and he is left to watch them pass by. This suggests a feeling of being trapped, as though he is powerless to change his situation.
The next lines shift focus to the woman the singer is in love with. He is looking for help with his blues, and he hates to lose her. This again suggests a feeling of helplessness, as though he is being carried along by forces outside of his control. This feeling is reinforced by the repetition of the phrase "Oh well" throughout the song, which suggests resignation, acceptance, or even defeat.
The final stanza of the song describes the woman as "long and tall" and "weeping like a willow tree," which creates an image of her as graceful and ethereal. This contrasts with the warnings the singer has received about her, as he notes that "they say she's no good." However, despite this warning, he insists that "she's all right with me." This again suggests a feeling of helplessness, as though the singer cannot resist his attraction to the woman even in the face of a possible danger.
Overall, the lyrics of "Still a Fool" suggest a feeling of being trapped and powerless, as the singer finds himself in love with a woman who may be bad news. The repetition of the phrase "Oh well" throughout the song reinforces this feeling of resignation and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, now, there's two, there's two trains running
There are two paths in life, two choices to be made
Well, they ain't never, no, going my way
Neither of them seem to be favorable to me
Well, now, one run at midnight and the other one
Running just 'fore day
It's running just 'fore day
It's running just 'fore day
Oh Lord, sure 'nough they is
Oh well
One path is going away from the darkness (midnight) and the other one is going towards the darkness (just before day). Both of these paths exist and are real
Mm mm, ho ho
Somebody help me, ho, with these blues
Life is tough and some help is needed to get through it
Well, now, she's the one I'm loving, she's the one
I do hate to lose
I do hate to lose
I do hate to lose
Oh Lord, sure 'nough I do
Oh well
The person you love the most is the hardest one to lose and the most painful to lose, and it still hurts no matter how long it's been
I been crazy, yes, I been a fool
I been crazy, oh, all of my life
I've made some bad choices (been crazy) and I've always been a little foolish
Well I done fell in love with a
With another man's wife
With another man's wife
With another man's wife
Oh Lord, sure 'nough I done
Oh well
I've gotten into a relationship with someone who is already taken, which is not good and might lead to trouble
Lord, she's so long and tall
Till she weep like a willow tree
Well, now, they say she's no good, but she's all right
She's all right with me
She's all right, she's all right
She's all right, she's all right
She's a beautiful woman (long and tall) who seems very emotional (weeps like a willow tree). Despite what others say, she's good enough for me and I accept her for who she is
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Mc Kinley Morganfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sonnyblack71
This has to be without a doubt the most powerful blues song ever!!!
@ssurfcity
It's up there, fo sho
@izzyporter3229
@@ssurfcity agree with you
@alhopkins185
Yup probably either my fav or within the top 3. Depends if I'm in a Muddy, SRV or R.L. Burnside mood.
@j.p.sixgunner7194
Sho' nuff....also, John Lee Hooker's Groundhog Blues
@isaacgomez5778
Got that right Buster
@kachirosaurus-1211
The greatest song of all time !
@marfak1000
Yep. Should be the national anthem
@Lcaz8616
Thank you Shazam. I’ve been obsessed with this song since I was a kid when I heard this in The Color of Money. I finally can listen to this for hours. Great song.
@bobaldo2339
The Chess recordings of Muddy from this era are elegant, uncluttered, and simply perfect!