From Four 'Til Late
Robert Johnson Lyrics


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From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
I believe to my soul, that your daddy's Gulfport-bound

From Memphis to Norfolk, is a thirty-six hours ride
From Memphis to Norfolk, is a thirty-six hours ride
A man is like a prisoner and he's never satisfied
A woman is like a dresser, some man always ramblin' through its drawers
A woman is like a dresser, some man always ramblin' through its drawers
It cause so many men, wear an apron overall

From four till late, she get with a no-good bunch and clown
From four till late, she get with a no-good bunch and clown
Now, she won't do nothin', but tear a good man' reputation down

When I leave this town, I'm gon' bid you fare, farewell




And when I leave this town, I'm gon' bid you fare, farewell
And when I return again, you'll have a great long story to tell

Overall Meaning

Robert Johnson's song "From Four Till Late" is a poignant blues tune that speaks of heartbreak, longing, and suspicion. The repeated chorus of "From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin' / I believe to my soul, that your daddy's Gulfport-bound" sets the melancholic tone of the song. The singer is plagued by doubts and fears about his lover's faithfulness, thinking that she might be with a "no-good bunch and clown" during his absence. The lyrics juxtapose the immovable nature of a man ("A man is like a prisoner and he's never satisfied") with the transience of a woman's affections ("A woman is like a dresser, some man always ramblin' through its drawers / It cause so many men, wear an apron overall"). The song ends on a bittersweet note, with the singer bidding farewell to the town and the lover, but also mindful of the fact that his love affair might have taken a turn for the worse in his absence ("And when I return again, you'll have a great long story to tell").


The song reflects Johnson's signature style of subtle storytelling, evocative imagery, and haunting vocals. The lyrics reveal the inner turmoil of a man who knows that his lover might be unfaithful but still hopes that she will remain true to him. The allusions to prison and transience create a mood of intense longing and sadness, deepening the emotional resonance of the song. Johnson's guitar playing, with its intricate fingerpicking and fluid phrasing, adds to the mournful beauty of the song, creating a sense of echoing loneliness and heartache.


Line by Line Meaning

From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
I spent the hours from four until late at night worrying and feeling sad.


I believe to my soul, that your daddy's Gulfport-bound
I'm sure that your father is headed to Gulfport.


From Memphis to Norfolk, is a thirty-six hours ride
It takes thirty-six hours to travel from Memphis to Norfolk.


A man is like a prisoner and he's never satisfied
Men often feel trapped and are never truly content.


A woman is like a dresser, some man always ramblin' through its drawers
Women are often objectified by men, treated as something to be explored or taken from.


It cause so many men, wear an apron overall
This behavior causes many men to take on more feminine tasks and roles.


From four till late, she get with a no-good bunch and clown
Late at night, she hangs out with a group of bad and foolish people.


Now, she won't do nothin', but tear a good man' reputation down
As a result of her actions, a good man's reputation has been damaged.


And when I leave this town, I'm gon' bid you fare, farewell
When I leave this place, I will say goodbye to you.


And when I return again, you'll have a great long story to tell
When I come back, you'll have lots of things to tell me about what's happened since I've been gone.




Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: ROBERT JOHNSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

なみ

From four until late I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
From four until late I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
I believe to my soul that your daddy's Gulfport bound

From Memphis to Norfolk is a thirty-six hours' ride
From Memphis to Norfolk is a thirty-six hours' ride
A man is like a prisoner and he's never satisfied

A woman is like a dresser some man always ramblin' th'ough its drawers
A woman is like a dresser some man's always ramblin' th'ough its drawers
It cause so many men wear an apron overhall

From four until late she get with a no-good bunch and clown
From four until late she get with a no-good bunch and clown
Now, she won't do nothin' but tear a good man' reputation down

When I leave this town I'm 'on' bid you fare...farewell
And when I leave this town I'm gon' bid you fare...farewell
And when I return again you'll have a great long story to tell



All comments from YouTube:

Paul Carpenter

Though not one of his most celebrated recordings, this shows Johnson was every ounce a seasoned, professional and gifted musician. The guitar arrangement alone is fantastic and intricate, and could not have been done better by a Tin Pan Alley arranger.

Thelonious Funk

His songwriting is incredible all the verses are connected and each one gives a little more perspective to the story

なみ

From four until late I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
From four until late I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
I believe to my soul that your daddy's Gulfport bound

From Memphis to Norfolk is a thirty-six hours' ride
From Memphis to Norfolk is a thirty-six hours' ride
A man is like a prisoner and he's never satisfied

A woman is like a dresser some man always ramblin' th'ough its drawers
A woman is like a dresser some man's always ramblin' th'ough its drawers
It cause so many men wear an apron overhall

From four until late she get with a no-good bunch and clown
From four until late she get with a no-good bunch and clown
Now, she won't do nothin' but tear a good man' reputation down

When I leave this town I'm 'on' bid you fare...farewell
And when I leave this town I'm gon' bid you fare...farewell
And when I return again you'll have a great long story to tell

massammas1

My dad is a blues musician and he was playing this today

guitarpicker

This man was certainly un-worldly. We are so fortunate to have experienced his musical beauty. I put him at number one of all blues creationist. He is the epitome of it all.

SucSynched

your opinion but there are too many to mention who could sit at the top... son house, willie johnson, blind lemon jefferson, skip james just what I'm conjuring up now.

Tony II

Agreed. The Crown Jewel of Blues

The More You Know

"Now she won't do nothing but tear a good man's reputation down" that is some of the truest lines

Leone de thebes

Classic blues masterpiece

John Wright

A had always wondered if Johnson deserved all the accolades. After checking out his recordings I have to say yes definitely. I don't know what took me so long to listen to them. His guitar playing is amazing.

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