Green started off as a bass player in such bands as The Muskrats. Joining The Peter B's, led by Peter Bardens, later the frontman of Camel, (including drummer Mick Fleetwood) he switched to lead guitar and made his first recordings. He took over the lead guitar spot in John Mayall and the Blues Breakers in 1966 after the departure of Eric Clapton.
After recording on one Mayall album Peter left in 1967 to form Fleetwood Mac.
Green was the guiding force of Fleetwood Mac from 1967 to 1970 when he left for musical and personal reasons. Under Green's guidance, the Mac played a very gritty and authentic version of the electric blues popularized in bars on Chicago's south side. (They even did some fine recordings there--"Blues Jam in Chicago"--which saw release only after his tenure in the band had ended). A prolific song writer also, he penned such hits as Man of the World; Oh Well; Green Manalishi; Albatross and Black Magic Woman. Albatross reached number 1 in the UK charts, Black Magic Woman was also recorded by Santana on their Abraxas album.
From 1970 to 1974, Green played some sessions, and worked with several small bands, as well as releasing two solo singles and an album of extended jams, The End of the Game for Reprise. By the end of 1974, he had withdrawn from the music scene.
By 1979 Green was recording again for PVK records as a solo artist with the debut album In the Skies; 1980 Little Dreamer; 1981 Blue Guitar; 1981 Whatcha Gonna Do; 1981 White Sky; 1984 Kolors; 1987 Katmandu; 1988 Legend; 1992 One Woman Love;
Green again left the music world in 1984, and there followed a very difficult period in his life, which came to an end in the mid 90's, and coincided with renewed interest, partly generated by a biography written by Martin Celmins, and a tribute album recorded by Gary Moore.
Green formed a new group in 1995 with Nigel Watson called the Peter Green Splinter Group. Returning to form the group produced some of Peter’s best playing since leaving Fleetwood Mac. Albums include 1997 Splinter Group; 1998 Robert Johnson Songbook; 2002 Reaching For The Cold 100.
Green left The Splinter Group in 2003. Since then, he has played sporadically, appearing at a Lord's Taverner's benefit at The Royal Albert Hall, and doing some gigs with The British Blues All-Stars.
In February 2009, Green began playing and touring again, this time as Peter Green and Friends. In May 2009 he was the subject of the BBC Four documentary "Peter Green: Man of the World", produced by Henry Hadaway. Green and the band subsequently played a tour of Ireland, Germany and England. They went on to play several dates in Australia during March 2010, including the Byron Bay Bluesfest.
I'm a Steady Rollin' Man
Peter Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a steady rollin' man, hmm hmm, I roll both night and day
But I haven't got no sweet woman, hmm mmm , boys, to be rollin' this-a way
I'm the man that rolls, when icicles is hangin' on the tree
I'm the man that rolls, when icicles is hangin' on the tree
And now you hear me howlin', baby, hmm hmm mmm, down on my bended knee
I'm a hard workin' man, have been for many long years, I know
And some cream puff's usin' my money, ooh well, babe, but that'll never be no more
You can't give your sweet woman, everything she wants in one time
ooh hoo ooo, you can't give your sweet woman, everything she wants in one time
Well, boys, she get ramblin' in her brain, hmm mmm mmm, some monkey man on her mind
I'm a steady rollin' man, I roll both night and day
I'm a steady rollin' man, and I roll both night and day
Well I don't have no sweet woman, hmm mmm, boys, to be rollin' this-a way
Peter Green's "I'm a Steady Rollin' Man" is a blues song that depicts the lifestyle of a man who's always on the move. The song is about a man who works hard and continuously rolls every day and night but doesn't have a sweet woman to share his life with. The lyrics suggest that the man is tired and lonely, often howling down on his bended knee.
The opening line, "I'm a steady rollin' man, I roll both night and day," emphasizes the man's tireless nature, always moving forward and never stopping. The metaphorical icicles hanging on the trees indicates that the man rolls even in the coldest of winters. The third verse, "I'm a hard workin' man, have been for many years, I know," further showcases the man's work ethic, implying that he has been working hard for many years.
In the fourth verse, "You can't give your sweet woman, everything she wants in one time," the man acknowledges that it's impossible to give a woman everything she wants all at once. This shows that the man wants to settle down and share his life with someone, but he's unable to do so because of his nature. The last verse repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the man's wandering nature and loneliness.
Overall, the song depicts the life of a man who's always on the move, never settling down or finding someone to share his life with. It's a melancholic portrayal of the blues, highlighting the challenges of being a restless wanderer.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a steady rollin' man, I roll both night and day
I am constantly moving and working, never stopping even during the night.
But I haven't got no sweet woman, hmm mmm , boys, to be rollin' this-a way
However, I do not have a woman to share my life with and help ease my troubles.
I'm the man that rolls, when icicles is hangin' on the tree
I am a dedicated worker who continues to work even in the harshest of weather conditions.
And now you hear me howlin', baby, hmm hmm mmm, down on my bended knee
Despite my hard work, I still have moments of despair and sadness, expressing them through song and prayer.
I'm a hard workin' man, have been for many long years, I know
I have been dedicated to my work for a long time and have put in a lot of effort over the years.
And some cream puff's usin' my money, ooh well, babe, but that'll never be no more
However, someone has taken advantage of me and my hard work to benefit themselves, but I have put an end to that.
You can't give your sweet woman, everything she wants in one time
It is impossible to fulfill all of a woman's desires and needs at once, as they are always changing and evolving.
Well, boys, she get ramblin' in her brain, hmm mmm mmm, some monkey man on her mind
Sometimes a woman's mind wanders and she is distracted by other men or desires, causing issues in the relationship.
I'm a steady rollin' man, and I roll both night and day
Despite any hardships or setbacks, I continue to move forward and work hard all hours of the day and night.
Well I don't have no sweet woman, hmm mmm, boys, to be rollin' this-a way
However, I still wish for a woman to share my life with and help me in my endeavors.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: WOODY PAYNE, ROBERT JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind