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 By the end of 1974, he had withdrawn from the music scene.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.
Same Old Blues
Peter Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
just like the tear falling from my eye
and yet i see in my room
staring hard at the gloom
is the rain
it's the same
i can't help, i can't help but take care of you
where the sun used to shine at my back door
and all my laughter's hurting pain
yes, it's the same
the same old
the same old blues
the sun shines, the sun shines
it's all the same
the right rain, it's like a clown to me
and as i see it in my room
staring hard at the gloom
is the rain
it's the same
i stare at the rain
and it's the same
the same old blues
i still know it's the rain
and i said it's the same old blues
In Peter Green's song Same Old Blues, he sings about the repetitive nature of his emotions as he is faced with the sound of rain falling outside his window. The gloomy day mirrors his own feelings of sadness and heartache which he cannot seem to shake off. As he stares at the rain and the clouds that block the sun, he reflects on how his life used to be filled with joy, but now he is stuck in the same old cycle of pain and loneliness. Despite his efforts to taunt the rain and make light of the situation, he knows deep down inside that he is powerless to change the way he feels. The rain and his feelings are always the same and he cannot help but take care of them.
The lyrics of Same Old Blues are a powerful representation of the cyclical nature of life and how sometimes we can get stuck in a rut of negative emotions. The rain is a powerful symbol for the tears that he cannot stop from falling and the gloomy atmosphere reflects his own internal state. Peter Green's raw and honest lyrics are a poignant reminder that we all experience feelings of sadness and despair at times, but it is up to us to find a way out of the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
the morning rain it keeps on falling
The constant rainfall seems never-ending, just like the tears in my eyes.
just like the tear falling from my eye
The tears falling down my cheeks parallel the never-ending rain outside.
and yet i see in my room
Despite the gloom outside, I can see inside my own room.
staring hard at the gloom
Looking at the darkness around me with a profound intensity.
is the rain
The object of my intense gaze is the constant rain outside.
it's the same
It's the same as it always is, constant and unchanging.
i can't help, i can't help but take care of you
Regardless of the pain and despair I feel, I can't help but still care about you.
where the sun used to shine at my back door
There was once a time where happiness existed in my life, but now my happiness has faded away.
i maw the clouds and i taunt the rain
I yearn to see the sun and mock the sadness that the rain brings.
and all my laughter's hurting pain
The only laughter that I feel now is from the pain of being hurt and sad.
yes, it's the same
There is no difference from my current sadness and previous sadness - it's all the same feeling.
the same old
The same feeling I get every time I'm plunged into the depths of despair.
the same old blues
The same sadness that happens to me every time.
the sun shines, the sun shines
Although the sun might be shining, my heart still feels cold and empty.
it's all the same
Regardless of how beautiful the day is outside, my sadness still remains.
the right rain, it's like a clown to me
The rain feels like a taunt or joke played on me, making me feel foolish and sad.
i stare at the rain
My eyes are fixated on the constant rain falling down.
and it's the same
No matter how long or often I stare at the rain, it remains the same as it's always been.
i still know it's the rain
Despite the fact that the rain makes me feel so down, I still know that it's just a constant force of nature.
and i said it's the same old blues
My sadness is the same now as it's always been in the past, and it feels like a never-ending cycle.
Contributed by Jeremiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.