Preaching Blues Up Jumped The Devil
Robert Johnson Lyrics


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Mmmmm-mmmmm
I's up this mornin'
Ah, blues walkin' like a man
I's up this mornin'
Ah, blues walkin' like a man
Worried blues
Give me your right hand
And the blues fell, mama's child
Tore me all upside-down
Blues fell, mam's child
And it tore me all upside down
Travel on, poor Bob
Just can't turn you 'round
The blues
Is a low-down shakin' chill
Yes, preach 'em now

Mmmmm-mmmmm
Is a low-down shakin' chill
You ain't never had 'em, I
Hope you never will
Well, the blues
Is a achin' old heart disease
Do it, now
You gon' do it?
Tell me all about it

Said the blues
Is a low-down achin' heart disease
Like consumption
Killing me by degrees
I can study rain
Oh, oh drive, oh, oh, drive my blues
I been studyin' the rain and
I'm gon drive my blues away




Goin' to the 'stil'ry
Stay out there all day

Overall Meaning

Robert Johnson's song "Preaching Blues" is a classic blues number that exemplifies the style of the Delta blues. The song is about an individual who is "up this morning" and is encountering the blues "walking like a man." The blues is personified as a malevolent entity that an individual feels they can't escape. There's a sense of desperation in the lyrics, as the singer says "worried blues, give me your right hand," which can be seen as a plea for the blues to stop plaguing him. Johnson then goes on to say that the blues "fell, mama's child" and "tore me all upside down." The imagery of the blues as something that grips someone and shakes them until they're upside down is a powerful metaphor for the emotional and psychological affect the blues has on individuals.


The song then moves into a call-and-response segment where Johnson laments the blues as a "low-down shakin' chill" that is like an "achin' old heart disease." He furthers the parallel by saying, "Like consumption, killing me by degrees." Johnson is painting a bleak picture of the effect the blues can have on an individual. The song ends with Johnson saying he's "gonna drive my blues away" by going to the "stil'ry" and staying there all day. The song's message is clear: the blues are something that can grip someone completely and totally, to the point where they feel like they can't escape its clutches.


Line by Line Meaning

Mmmmm-mmmmm
The singer is making a sound to express the feeling of the blues.


I's up this mornin'
The singer woke up this morning.


Ah, blues walkin' like a man
The singer feels like the blues are a person walking around, perhaps indicating that they are pervasive in the singer's life.


Worried blues
The blues are causing the artist to worry.


Give me your right hand
The blues seem to be calling out to the artist for help or comfort.


And the blues fell, mama's child
The blues seem to have afflicted the singer from a young age, as if they were passed on to the singer from their mother.


Tore me all upside-down
The blues have a disruptive effect on the singer's life and emotions.


Travel on, poor Bob
The artist, who refers to himself as 'poor Bob,' can't seem to escape the influence of the blues.


Just can't turn you 'round
Despite the artist's efforts, the blues keep coming back and causing disruptions in the artist's life.


The blues
Referring to the same pervasive feeling of sadness and worry throughout the song.


Is a low-down shakin' chill
The blues are an uncomfortable, even painful feeling.


Yes, preach 'em now
Indicates agreement or encouragement, perhaps egging on the person preaching the blues to continue.


You ain't never had 'em, I
The singer hopes the listener has never had to experience the blues.


Hope you never will
The singer wishes for the listener to never feel the blues, suggesting that the feeling is burdensome or hard to overcome.


Well, the blues
The singer is introducing another point about the blues.


Is a achin' old heart disease
The feeling of the blues is like a disease that affects the heart, causing emotional pain and discomfort.


Do it, now
A command or encouragement to take action, perhaps to overcome the blues.


You gon' do it?
A question to the listener, asking whether they will take action to alleviate their own blues.


Tell me all about it
An invitation to the listener to share their experience with the blues and seek advice or comfort.


Said the blues
The artist is referring back to the blues.


Is a low-down achin' heart disease
Repeating earlier sentiments that the blues cause emotional pain and discomfort like a disease.


Like consumption
Drawing a comparison to tuberculosis, a disease that often causes wasting away of the body and mind.


Killing me by degrees
The singer is suggesting that the emotional pain of the blues is slowly killing them.


I can study rain
The artist is suggesting that they have researched or tried various methods to overcome the blues, perhaps indicating a sense of desperation.


Oh, oh drive, oh, oh, drive my blues
The singer is trying to drive their blues away through some action, leaving the specifics open-ended.


I been studyin' the rain and
Repeating earlier sentiments and perhaps indicating a lack of progress in overcoming the blues.


I'm gon drive my blues away
Reiterating the goal to overcome the blues.


Goin' to the 'stil'ry
The artist is going to a place called the 'stillery,' which could be interpreted as seeking alcohol for solace or indulging in a habit that might worsen the situation.


Stay out there all day
Implies that the artist will be at the stillery all day, suggesting a potentially dangerous or unproductive response to the blues.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Brownie Mc Ghee

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

Mathieu Schuler

Mmmmm-mmmmm
I's up this mornin'
Ah, blues walkin' like a man
I's up this mornin'
Ah, blues walkin' like a man
Worried blues
Give me your right hand
And the blues fell, mama's child
Tore me all upside-down
Blues fell, mam's child
And it tore me all upside down
Travel on, poor Bob
Just can't turn you 'round
The blues
Is a low-down shakin' chill
Yes, preach 'em now
Mmmmm-mmmmm
Is a low-down shakin' chill
You ain't never had 'em, I
Hope you never will
Well, the blues
Is a achin' old heart disease
Do it, now
You gon' do it?
Tell me all about it
Said the blues
Is a low-down achin' heart disease
Like consumption
Killing me by degrees
I can study rain
Oh, oh drive, oh, oh, drive my blues
I been studyin' the rain and
I'm gon drive my blues away
Goin' to the 'stil'ry
Stay out there all day



Kae Cake

Ever since I was 13 I heard Robert Johnson. I thought i was listening to Rock n Roll before it was named. He learned from Ike Zimmerman. Yes, son House said he did- So did Honeyboy Edwards...

They didn't see him in Arkansas where he learned from an influencer.

If you listen to "Some Summer Days" by Charlie Patton

"Last Fair Deal Going Down by Robert Johnson sound similar because the influenced was big in the south - Their music sound similar.

We a lot to these Southern Black people, their influence is the endless pavement road for what we call Modern Music.

I tell you we found Blind Blake's grave what great discovery after 100 years. I started playing guitar because of Robert Johnson ever since I was 12. Thank you so much for keeping him heard after 100 years.



JC713

The song is phonetically genius. But two parts of the lyrics are even more so.
The second verse "travel on poor Bob" is in my opinion" travel on so far."

The second part on the last verse of I can study rain .
I believe the lyrics are actually

I been stutterin' or , or die, or or , drive my blues ( the stuttering "or's" add credence to this )
The second part of the same verse is the same as the accepted lyrics
I've been study rain and I'm going to drive my blues away.
I believe when you listen to Johnson's lyrics more you pick up the verbal nuances that make it extremely unique.



All comments from YouTube:

John Jeffire

Playing lead and rhythm at once and that unmistakable voice...the once and always greatest.

Elijah Robinson

Robbie Krieger of The Doors does the same on many of their tracks, including playing the bass part on his regular 6 string electric.

Such skills, especially to one like me who can’t play, are somewhat surreal. Truly amazing and incredible.

Mattias Svanberg

​@Elijah RobinsonRay Manzarek plays the bass on a keyboard with one hand, not Krieger. He plays the keys with one hand and the bass with the other. He was really talented, Ray Manzarek.

Taylor

This man's music is too good for anyone to dislike it.

Hungry Howie

Bc he sold his soul

Billy Roues

@Hungry Howie he didn't. that's just a myth. Tommy Johnson was the one who said that he sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads. Not Robert Johnson.

illeaglememes

@Hungry Howie No such thing as the devil. Dude was just good.

ira onok

@Hungry Howiesold his soul sounds mighty economical, and money ain't nothing but artifice. He scratched on old scratch for a lil scratch on his own back. Making lemonade of water, from scratch, ain't nothing wrong with that, or jc would be down and out, not up to bat.

dave

​@Billy Roues Brother then how is it possible that in less than two years he has learned and refined his technique with such precision, for no other reason but in certain songs you hear on Elvis funky a bit of psychedelic rock many other styles and ways of doing that have influenced millions of guitarists, this comment is not to create hatred of course

2 More Replies...

Alaric Pether

No overdubs or post production or anything like that just one man and a guitar. Every time I hear Preachin' Blues I'm still as in awe as the first time I heard it. Robert Johnson is utterly electrifying.

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