Popa Chubby is a true native son of the Big Apple. He was born in the Bronx and grew up in a neighborhood made famous by Robert De Niro in the movie A Bronx Tale. His parents owned a candy store on the corner of 181st Street and Arthur Avenue. His early memories of hearing the juke box playing the hits of early sixties soul and R&B – and the neighborhood teens flocking around it – made a lasting impression on him. To this day the musical influence of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye are ever present in Popa's music.
At the tender age of 8 he picked up the drums and became consumed in playing "Wipeout" (much to the dismay of his mother and neighbors). His parents were huge fans of jazz and R&B and had a vast collection of 78's and LPs. Popa would spend hours scratching them up by playing the sections he liked over and over again. When he was seven, his father took him to see an oldies show at Madison Square Garden. Up close to the stage he watched the headliner duck walk across the stage playing his Gibson 335 like a ringin' a bell!! Chuck Berry became Popa's idol. The untimely death of his father when he was nine left Ted living with his old-school Italian grandparents. His love affair with the drums was put on indefinite hold.
The 70's came and Popa began to hear the blues rock that was everywhere. Johnny Winter, Foghat, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones were on the radio and in the record stores and Popa, being a loner, found solace in listening to these records over and over on a beat up record player bought at a yard sale for a dollar.
At age fourteen he picked up his first guitar and never put it down. His fingers bled from trying to pick out the blues licks he heard second hand from the rockers who played them. In the late 70's Punk Rock hit the scene, and Popa answered a classified ad in the Village Voice for a guitarist. He was hired by Japanese performance/special effects artist, Screaming Mad George, and played a fortuitous gig at CBGB in New York City's Bowery. There he met Punk Rock godfather, Richard Hell, who was putting together a new version of his band the Voidoids. Popa was hired for a world tour. All the while Popa was honing his licks via the records of Albert King, B.B. King and especially Freddie King.
"When I first heard Freddie King my world was turned upside down. I was 19 and this older cat in the neighborhood played me the Just Pickin' record and I was knocked out cold. I thought, ‘Man, that's what I wanna be when I grow up.'"
With the 1980's upon him, Popa played any and all styles of music he could, the education helping him to survive as a working musician. In 1984, while busking in New York's Central Park, he met singer-songwriter Pierce Turner who had just signed with RCA Records. Pierce and Chubby shared a love for Otis Redding and Jimi Hendrix. Chubby was hired for a world tour and asked to contribute his blues-inflected guitar playing to Pierce's album The Sky and The Ground. Popa worked with Pierce throughout the late 80's, all the while itching to play the blues he loved.
In 1990 the Popa Chubby Band was born. The name was taken from an impromptu jam with Bernie Worell, one of the founding members of ‘70s psychedelic rock and R&B group Parliament Funkadelic. "He was singing a song called ‘Popa Chubby' and he pointed at me." The name captured the essence of what his music has come to represent. "Popa Chubby basically means to get excited. The core of my music is about excitement. I think music should make people feel alive."
Before long he was playing every club in New York. Popa landed the coveted spot as house band at the now defunct Manny's Car Wash. There he got to back up and open for many of the great musicians who came through town. The combined experiences of backing a variety of artists helped shape his vision of what he now calls "New York City Blues."
In 1991, he entered the National Blues Talent Search sponsored by Long Beach Radio station KLON. He beat out a score of bands to bring the title to New York City and was rewarded with an opening spot at the 1991 Long Beach Blues Festival. Popa soon started touring regionally and released two independent records on his own label.
In 1994 Popa signed a recording deal with the recently resurrected O-Keh label (Sony Music). At first reluctant to sign on with such a corporate outfit, it was the prospect of working with Tom Dowd, longtime Atlantic Records engineer/producer, whose recordings by Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and others are legendary, that convinced him. Booty and The Beast was released in 1994, and the single, "Sweet Goddess Of Love and Beer," soon was sweeping the country and became a summer radio hit coast to coast in 1995.
Creative differences left Popa a free agent in 1996, so he began releasing albums on his own label. On the advice of Dowd he went to Europe, where his first two CDs were released as a collection by the French Dixiefrog label. The record was an instant success and left Popa touring nonstop. The energy and showmanship of his sets earned him critical and commercial acclaim overseas, and in fact, he's become a huge star in Europe, where he appears on the covers of guitar magazines and routinely sells out major venues.
The innovative performer and producer went on to do a number of other projects for Dixiefrog, his own albums and others by Big Apple artists recorded under the aegis of Popa Chubby Productions. In the process, he spearheaded a New York City sub-genre of blues. The New York sound is as complex as the city itself, melding a variety of street sounds from hip hop, punk, straight-up rock, R&B, into an unadulterated blues format. "New York is a melting pot of social and musical cultures, and New York City Blues is an amalgam of all those styles," explains Chubby.
Popa Chubby's music, forged in the toughness that is New York City, takes blues to the cutting edge, where it highfives its contemporary cousins rock, rap, and hip hop. With his razor sharp, biting guitar, vocals from the gut, and top-notch skill as a songwriter, Popa Chubby artfully combines the rootsiness of blues with the more modern urban elements of today's popular music.
In May 2000, Dixiefrog released How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? in Europe, where it has sold over 60,000 records and is still climbing. Looking for a domestic label that would understand his unique approach to the blues, Popa brought the album to Blind Pig Records, which released this seminal blues-rock concept record in August of 2001. It uses electric and acoustic guitar blends, drum loops and electronics to show how close the blues, hip-hop and R&B really are. The New York Post said, "The guitar ace is fantastic on this CD - the quintessence of what New York City blues is all about. There isn't a bad song on it."
Popa Chubby's newest CD, Stealing the Devil's Guitar, was released on Dixie Frog Records in February 2006. The 13 songs on this record represent a journey through the real life blues of Popa Chubby. Popa writes from life and from the first track hits a home run with the talking slide blues of "Slide Devil Man Slide". The tone is set and the journey unfolds. Sonically, this record is the most textural to date with lots of slide and acoustic guitar, mandolin, Sitar, and a heavy dose of hard blues rock lead guitar. The urbane rap tome of "Smugglers Game" has Middle Eastern flavors and ejects the listener to exotic border crossings. The heart-rending dirge of "Preacher Man" bemoans the trials of the entrusted. The Western saga "Young Guns" sets the stage for a shootout between new and old- because if you want to take the devil's guitar, you got to steal it!
Discography:
Studioalbums:
1995 - Booty and the Beast
1995 - Hit the High Hard One (Live)
1996 - Gas Money
1996 - It's Chubby Time
1997 - One Million Broken Guitars
1998 - Brooklyn Basement Blues
1999 - Popa Chubby Presents New York City Blues
2000 - One Night Live In New York City (Live)
2000 - How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?
2001 - New York City Blues (Again
2001 - Flashed Back (Songs From The '60s Blues And Beyond) (feat. Galea)
2002 - The Good the Bad and the Chubby
2003 - Black Coffee Blues Band
2003 - Popa Chubby Live at FIP
2003 - Old School - Popa Chubby and Friends Play
2004 - Peace, Love and Respect
2005 - Wild Live
2005 - Big Man Big Guitar: Popa Chubby Live
2006 - Electric Chubbyland Volume One
2006 - Stealing the Devil's Guitar
2006 - Electric Chubbyland (3CD box set)
2007 - Deliveries After Dark
2008 - Vicious Country
2010 - The Fight Is On
2011 - Back to New York City
2013 - Universal Breakdown Blues
2014 - I'm Feelin’ Lucky (The Blues according to Popa Chubby)
2015 - Big, Bad and Beautiful (Live) (DoA, Live)
Compilations:
1996 - The First Cuts
2003 - The Hungry Years
2005 - Ten Years With Popa Chubby Best Of
Trouble
Popa Chubby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's looking for someone to latch on to someone to call a friend
You know she's never happy when she's all alone she needs some company
Her heart is aching but her soul's not cold she's drowning in a sea of misery
And that's what's going down
You'd better watch out fellas
When trouble comes around
There goes trouble she's chasing her tail again
Well she's long and lean she's a young man's dream she only break your heart my friend
The truth's just a dream of yesterday but belongs to someone else
Her heart is aching and her soul's so frail the girl can't help herself
She come unwound
And that's what going down
You'd better watch out fellas
When trouble comes around
You'd better watch out fellas
You'd better watch out fellas
You'd better watch out fellas
When trouble comes around
You'd better watch out fellas
You'd better oh oh fellas
You'd better watch out fellas
When trouble comes around
Don't you get put down
When she comes around
Here she comes
There goes trouble she's losing her mind again
You know talking is cheap but when you can't sleep soothing words are your only friends
She's caught in a life of yesterday it belongs to someone else
Her heart is aching but her soul's so frail the girl can't help herself
She come unwound
And that's what going down
You'd better watch out fellas
When trouble comes around
You'd better watch out fellas
You'd better watch out fellas
You'd better watch out fellas
When trouble comes around
You'd better watch out fellas
You'd better oh fellas
You'd better watch out fellas
When trouble comes around
Don't get put down
When she comes around... Lord
Comes around
When she comes around... Lord
Trouble comes around
When she comes around
Lord don't you get put down
The lyrics of the song "Trouble" by Popa Chubby describe a woman who is constantly looking for companionship and cannot be happy when she is by herself. The female character is referred to as "trouble" as she is depicted as someone who is difficult to handle and will only break the hearts of those around her. The song portrays the woman as a person who is caught up in the past and cannot move on. The lyrics also suggest that the female character is emotionally unstable and cannot control her emotions.
The chorus of the song warns the listeners to be careful around the woman as they may get dragged down into her troubles. The repeated phrase "you'd better watch out fellas" creates a sense of urgency and seriousness, emphasizing the importance of avoiding getting caught up in the woman's drama. The song concludes with the warning not to get put down when the woman comes around.
Overall, the song "Trouble" by Popa Chubby is a cautionary tale about a woman who is constantly in search of companionship and the potential dangers of getting involved with her. The lyrics highlight the importance of being aware of the emotional state of those around us and the potential damage that can be caused by getting caught up in their problems.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes trouble walking the streets again
A problematic person is out in public once more.
She's looking for someone to latch on to someone to call a friend
She wants to attach herself to someone and make a bond.
You know she's never happy when she's all alone she needs some company
She doesn't like being alone and needs someone else to be with her.
Her heart is aching but her soul's not cold she's drowning in a sea of misery
She is in emotional pain and struggling.
And that's what's going down
That's what's happening.
You'd better watch out fellas
Be cautious, boys.
When trouble comes around
When problematic people are present.
Don't you get dragged down
Don't let it affect you negatively.
There goes trouble she's chasing her tail again
The problematic individual is engaging in self-destructive behavior.
Well she's long and lean she's a young man's dream she only break your heart my friend
She is attractive but will ultimately hurt you.
The truth's just a dream of yesterday but belongs to someone else
The truth is a distant memory and no longer relevant.
Her heart is aching and her soul's so frail the girl can't help herself
She is vulnerable and struggling to cope.
She come unwound
She is losing her grip on reality.
You'd better watch out fellas
Be cautious, boys.
When trouble comes around
When problematic people are present.
You'd better watch out fellas
Be cautious, boys.
You'd better oh oh fellas
Be very careful, boys.
Don't you get put down
Don't let it bring you down.
You'd better watch out fellas
Be cautious, boys.
When trouble comes around
When problematic people are present.
Here she comes
She's arriving.
You know talking is cheap but when you can't sleep soothing words are your only friends
Talking alone won't help, only comforting words can.
She's caught in a life of yesterday it belongs to someone else
She is stuck in the past and it doesn't belong to her anymore.
She come unwound
She is losing her grip on reality.
You'd better watch out fellas
Be cautious, boys.
Don't get put down
Don't let it bring you down.
Lord don't you get put down
Don't let it bring you down, Lord.
Comes around
Returns.
Trouble comes around
Problematic individuals return.
When she comes around
When she is present.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TED HOROWITZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Purdy
This is an amazing song. One of my favorites.
Isalia November
great voice. powerful with a lot of emotion. thanks for share this song:)
Danny Kerhoulas
This man is pretty dang good. Why am I just now hearing him
Grzegorz Ka
Super wykon 🖒🖒🖒
앵그리휴먼
오랫동안 좋아했던 ...ㅋ
gino panariello
great