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.
Strong Will To Live
Robben Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you lose your woman, please don't lose your mind
Don't cower down yourself indeed
You don't even take that drag
A man these days
Needs a strong will to survive
I work hard at my job, don't gamble with my pay
When the government come for their share
They wanna take more than I got to give
A man these days
Needs a strong will to live
When I was down on my luck, sold my car just to pay my rent
When I was down on my luck, sold my car just to pay my rent
When my friend asked me how I been
He had the laughter I just couldn't lie
I said a man these days
Needs a strong will to get by
I said a man these days
Needs a strong will to survive
The song "Strong Will To Live" by Robben Ford & The Blue Line is a blues-rock track with lyrics that discuss the struggles of modern adulthood, particularly financial stability and relationship problems. The first verse addresses the loss of a romantic partner and the importance of not giving in to negative thoughts or habits. The singer advises the listener to keep his head up, keep himself together, and not resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms like smoking or drugs. In the chorus, the singer declares that in today's world, surviving and thriving takes "a strong will to live."
The second verse focuses on the challenges of earning a living and contributing to society. The singer talks about working hard at his job and not squandering his money, but then laments how the government takes too much in taxes. He feels like he has to work even harder just to keep up with the demands of society. In the third verse, the singer reflects on a time when he was struggling to make ends meet and had to sell his car just to pay rent. When he saw a friend who asked how he was doing, he couldn't bring himself to lie about his situation. The singer concludes by repeating the chorus, emphasizing the idea that courage and determination are necessary to succeed in the world today.
Overall, the message of "Strong Will To Live" is that life is tough and that grit and perseverance are essential qualities to have in order to survive and succeed in love and work. The song's vivid imagery and raw emotional power make it a memorable anthem of resilience and defiance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
If you lose your woman, please don't lose your mind
Don't let the loss of love consume you, keep a level head
Don't cower down yourself indeed
Don't give up or feel defeated
You don't even take that drag
Don't turn to drugs or other harmful vices
A man these days
Needs a strong will to survive
In today's world, one must possess great determination to make it through
I work hard at my job, don't gamble with my pay
I give my all at work and won't risk my earnings irresponsibly
When the government come for their share
They wanna take more than I got to give
The government demands too much and leaves little for hardworking individuals
When I was down on my luck, sold my car just to pay my rent
I faced tough times and had to make sacrifices to keep a roof over my head
When my friend asked me how I been
He had the laughter I just couldn't lie
When my friend asked how I was doing, I couldn't hide the pain and struggle in my life
I said a man these days
Needs a strong will to get by
I emphasized that overcoming adversity requires immense mental and emotional strength
I said a man these days
Needs a strong will to survive
I reiterated that having great perseverance is paramount to thriving in today's world
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBBEN FORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind