He was born in Woodlake, California and raised in Ukiah. He taught himself guitar when he was 13 and considered his first influence to be Mike Bloomfield. At 18 he moved to San Francisco to form the Charles Ford Blues Band (named after his father, who was also a guitarist) featuring his brothers Mark (mouth harp) and Patrick (drums).
Robben was soon hired to play with Charles Musselwhite for nine months. Robben Ford played with Jimmy Witherspoon (1972-1973), the L.A. Express with Tom Scott (1974), George Harrison and Joni Mitchell. In 1977 he was a founding member of the Yellowjackets, which he stayed with until 1983, simultaneously having a solo career and working as a session guitarist.
In 1986, Ford toured with Miles Davis and he had two separate periods (1985 and 1987) with Sadao Watanabe, but he seemed to really find himself in 1992 when he returned to his roots: the blues. Ford formed a new group, the Blue Line, and subsequently recorded a couple of blues-rock dates for Stretch that are among the finest of his career. In 1999, he released Sunrise on Rhino and Supernatural on Blue Thumb. Ford signed to the Concord Jazz label in 2002 and released Blue Moon that same year, followed by Keep on Running in 2003 and Truth in 2007. Robben Ford whilst continuing to record solo albums has been touring in 2007 with guitar legend Larry Carlton.
Born Under a Bad Sign
Robben Ford Lyrics
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Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all
Hard luck and trouble is my only friend
I been on my own ever since I was ten
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
I can't read, haven't learned how to write
My whole life has been one big fight
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all
I ain't lyin'
If it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have no kind-a luck
If it wasn't for real bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all
Wine and women is all I crave
A big legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all
Yeah, my bad luck boy
Been havin' bad luck all of my days, yes
The lyrics of Robben Ford's "Born Under a Bad Sign" reflect the frustration and hopelessness of a person who believes they were cursed from the very beginning of their life - from the moment they started to crawl. The repetition of the phrase "born under a bad sign" emphasizes the idea of being surrounded by negative circumstances that seem to follow the singer wherever they goes. The use of anaphora with the line "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all" reinforces this point and serves as a reminder of the power of fate in the person's life.
Throughout the song, we see the singer highlighting the constant struggles and hardships they encounter, from not being able to read or write to having hard luck and trouble as their only friend. They describe their life as one big fight, and they believe that wine and women are the only things that can bring them any pleasure or joy. The line "A big-legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave" suggests the singer's hope for an escape from all their miseries through a relationship with a woman. However, the repetition and emphasis on the idea of being born under a bad sign results in a feeling of resignation and defeat.
Overall, "Born Under a Bad Sign" is a powerful reflection of a person's inability to escape their fate and the negative circumstances that seem to constantly plague them, no matter what they do. The lyrics depict a sense of helplessness and despair that is universal and relatable to anyone who has experienced a string of bad luck or misfortunes in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two
This is the beginning of the song
Born under a bad sign
I have had to deal with many unfortunate circumstances in my life
I been down since I begin to crawl
My life has been a constant struggle since I was a baby
If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all
Without the bad things that have happened to me, I wouldn't have had any luck at all
Hard luck and trouble is my only friend
I don't have many friends, and the only thing that has always been with me is hardship and difficulty
I been on my own ever since I was ten
I have had to fend for myself since I was ten years old
I can't read, haven't learned how to write
I have not had the opportunity to receive a proper education
My whole life has been one big fight
My entire life has been a constant struggle
I ain't lyin'
I am telling the truth
If it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have no kind-a luck
My luck has been so consistently bad that I wouldn't have any luck at all without it
If it wasn't for real bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all
Without the worst kind of bad luck, I would have no luck at all
Wine and women is all I crave
The only things I desire are alcohol and women
A big legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave
I will be devoted to women until the day I die
Yeah, my bad luck boy
I am known for having bad luck
Been havin' bad luck all of my days, yes
I have never been fortunate in my entire life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOOKER T. JONES, WILLIAM BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind