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Sweet Home Chicago
Robert Johnson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, baby don't you want to go?
Oh, baby don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California
To my sweet home Chicago

Oh, baby don't you want to go?
Oh, baby don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California
To my sweet home Chicago

Now one and one is two
Two and two is four
I'm heavy loaded, baby
I'm booked, I gotta go

Cryin' baby
Honey don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California
To my sweet home Chicago

Now two and two is four
Four and two is six
You gonna keep monkeyin' round with your friend-boy, you gonna get your
Business all in a trick

But I'm cryin' baby
Honey don't you wanna go?
Back to the land of California
To my sweet home Chicago

Now six and two is eight
Eight and two is ten
Friend-boy, she trick you one time
She sure gonna do it again

But I'm cryin' hey, hey
Baby don't you want to go?
To the land of California
To my sweet home Chicago

I'm goin' to California
From there to Des Moines Iowa
Somebody will tell me that you
Need my help someday, cryin'

Hey, hey
Baby don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California
To my sweet home Chicago

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Robert Johnson's song "Sweet Home Chicago" depict a man who is trying to convince his partner to leave California and return with him to his hometown of Chicago. The repetition of the plea "oh baby, don't you want to go?" emphasizes the man's desperation to leave California and return home. The singer also talks about being "heavy loaded" and "booked," which suggests that he might be down on luck and needing to start anew in Chicago.


The lines "two and two is four, four and two is six" and "six and two is eight, eight and two is ten" may reference the blues tradition of counting as a way to create a rhythmic structure within a song. Additionally, the line "friend-boy, she trick you one time, she sure gonna do it again" implies that the singer may have been wronged by someone in California and may be seeking redemption or justice in Chicago.


Overall, "Sweet Home Chicago" expresses a longing for home and a desire for stability that is often sought through returning to one's roots.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, baby don't you want to go?
Robert Johnson invites his lover to go with him.


Back to the land of California
He reminds his lover about their past adventures in California.


To my sweet home Chicago
He tells his lover about another place he loves, his hometown of Chicago.


Now one and one is two
Robert Johnson starts singing about math equations, representing the simplicity of life.


Two and two is four
He continues to use math equations to describe his need to leave town.


I'm heavy loaded, baby
Robert Johnson reveals that he is weighed down by responsibilities and obligations.


I'm booked, I gotta go
He states that he has already promised someone he would be there and now must leave.


Cryin' baby
Robert Johnson's lover is crying because she doesn't want him to leave.


Now two and two is four
He repeats the math equation to indicate how he must keep moving forward with his journey.


Four and two is six
He continues with another equation, signaling his path forward.


You gonna keep monkeyin' round with your friend-boy, you gonna get your Business all in a trick
Robert Johnson warns his lover that if she continues to hang out with a dangerous crowd, she will get in trouble.


But I'm cryin' baby
Robert Johnson's lover is still crying for him to stay.


Now six and two is eight
He continues with the math equations to describe his path forward.


Eight and two is ten
He indicates that he is almost at his destination.


Friend-boy, she trick you one time
He is warning his lover's friend that she cannot be trusted.


She sure gonna do it again
He emphasizes how the friend is not trustworthy and will likely deceive them again.


But I'm cryin' hey, hey
Robert Johnson's lover is still crying for him to stay.


I'm goin' to California
He reminds his lover where he is going and why.


From there to Des Moines Iowa
He explains that he will be making stops along the way.


Somebody will tell me that you need my help someday, cryin'
He predicts that his lover will need him one day and he will help her.


Hey, hey
He repeats his invitation to his lover to come with him.


Back to the land of California
He repeats his reminder to his lover about California.


To my sweet home Chicago
He repeats his love for his hometown of Chicago.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROBERT JOHNSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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