Walking Blues
Robert Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Know by that I got these old walkin' blues, well
Woke this mornin' feelin round for my shoes
But you know by that, I got these old walkin' blues
Lord I feel like blowin my old lonesome horn
Got up this mornin', my little Bernice was gone, Lord
I feel like blowin my lonesome horn
Well, leave this mornin' if I have to, ride the blinds
I feel mistreated, and I don't mind dyin'
Leavin' this mornin', if I have to ride the blind
Babe, I've been mistreated, baby and I don't mind dyin'
Well, some people tell me that the worried blues ain't bad
Worst old feelin' I most ever had
Some people tell me that these old worried old blues ain't bad
It's the worst old feelin', I most ever had
She's got a elegant movement from her head down to her toes
Break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes, oh, ooh
From her head down to her toes, oh Lord
Lord, she break in on a dollar, most anywhere she goes
In Robert Johnson's song Walking Blues, the singer wakes up in the morning feeling around for his shoes, thus indicating that he is a wanderer by nature. He knows by that feeling that he has these old walking blues, suggesting that he has been walking for a long time, and he is probably a vagabond who has nowhere to go. He feels like blowing his old lonesome horn, but he got up one morning, and his little Bernice was gone. He implies that his partner left him without any explanation, and he feels sad, lonely, and probably betrayed.
The singer intends to leave in the morning and ride the blind, regardless of the dangers associated with hitchhiking. He feels mistreated, and he does not mind dying, indicating that he has nothing to lose. Some people tell him that the worried blues ain't bad, but he disagrees because he has experienced the worst old feeling he has ever had. In the last verse, the singer describes a woman with an elegant movement from her head down to her toes, and she can break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes. The singer implies that this woman is a gold digger, and she can make money anywhere she goes.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes
I woke up this morning, trying to find my shoes
Know by that I got these old walkin' blues, well
I realized that I am feeling the blues and I got to walk on foot
Lord I feel like blowin my old lonesome horn
I feel like expressing my sadness through music
Got up this mornin', my little Bernice was gone, Lord
I woke up this morning only to find that my lover has gone away
Well, leave this mornin' if I have to, ride the blinds
I am ready to leave today, even if it means I have to ride the train tracks illegally
I feel mistreated, and I don't mind dyin'
I have been treated unfairly and I am not afraid to die
Some people tell me that these old worried old blues ain't bad
Some people think that feeling worried and blue isn't so bad
It's the worst old feelin', I most ever had
But for me, it's the worst feeling I've ever experienced
From her head down to her toes, oh Lord
She has a graceful movement that flows from her head to her toes
Lord, she break in on a dollar, most anywhere she goes
She can charm people into giving her money almost anywhere she travels
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TERRY GARTHWAITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mss joseph
lyrics:
I woke up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes
Know by that I got these old walkin' blues, well
Woke this mornin' feelin round for my shoes
But you know by that, I got these old walkin' blues
Lord I feel like blowin my old lonesome horn
Got up this mornin', my little Bernice was gone, Lord
I feel like blowin my lonesome horn
Well I got up this mornin', whoa all I had was gone
Well, leave this mornin' if I have to, ride the blinds
I feel mistreated, and I don't mind dyin'
Leavin' this mornin', if I have to ride the blind
Babe, I've been mistreated, baby and I don't mind dyin'
Well, some people tell me that the worried blues ain't bad
Worst old feelin' I most ever had
Some people tell me that these old worried old blues ain't bad
It's the worst old feelin', I most ever had
She's got a elegant movement from her head down to her toes
Break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes, oh, ooh
From her head down to her toes, oh Lord
Lord, she break in on a dollar, most anywhere she goes
miguelangel leal
I woke up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes
Know 'bout 'at I got these, old walkin' blues
Woke up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes
But you know 'bout 'at I, got these old walkin' blues
Lord, I feel like blowin' my old lonesome horn
Got up this mornin', my little Bernice was gone
Lord, I feel like blowin' my lonesome horn
Well I got up this mornin' all I had was gone
Well leave this morn' of I have to ride the blind
I've feel mistreated and I don't mind dyin'
Leavin' this morn', I have to ride a blind
Babe, I been mistreated, baby, and I don't mind dyin'
Well, some people tell me that the worried blues ain't bad
Worst old feelin' I most ever had, some
People tell me that these old worried old blues ain't bad
It's the worst old feelin', I 'most ever had
She got an Elgin movement from her head down to her toes
Break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes
My head down to her toes
God she break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes
Jackson Langford
this might be his best vocal performance recorded. he's sounds incredible
Ang3lofSmr
Aint no might about it.
WhatWentWrong22441
I've been playing blues guitar for over 50yrs now and I can firmly say you don't get better than the classics, and this my friends is a classic.
Nicola Perfetti
Completely agree
Dylan Roberts
Here we are almost 100 years later listening to Robert Johnson on our phone. I bet he never imagined people would be listening to him in a 100 years
mynameisjonas45
There is so much raw emotion in his voice, especially when he sings the line, "don't mind dying." When he says the word dying it's like a distraught growling tone in his voice. Amazing...
Michael Williams
mynameisjonas45 I think at that moment he really felt like dying
fusion772
The funny thing though is he sounds pretty upbeat in the song
James Baker
@Michael Williams No I disagree I think he knew what he traded.
Michael Williams
@James Baker so what are you saying