Rory Block was born in Princeton, New Jersey and grew up in Manhattan. Her father, Allan Block, ran a sandal shop in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, and the constant presence of members of the Greenwich Village folk music scene made an impression on the young girl, who studied classical guitar. Around age 14, she began to be fascinated by old Mississippi Delta blues, listening to old albums, transcribing them, and learning to play the songs. At age 15, she left home to seek out the remaining blues giants, such as Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis and Son House, and hone her craft in the traditional manner of blues musicians; then she moved to California where she played in clubs and coffeehouses.
After retiring temporarily to raise a family, Block returned to the music business in the 1970s with middling success until signing with Rounder Records in 1981, who encouraged her to return to her love for the classical blues form. Since then she has carved out her own niche, releasing numerous critically acclaimed albums of original and traditional songs, including many Robert Johnson covers. Block has won four W. C. Handy Awards, two for "Traditional Blues Female Artist" (1997, 1998), and two for "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year" (1996, 1999).
32-20 Blues
Rory Block Lyrics
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'F I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
All the doctors in Hot Springs sure can't help her none
And if she gets unruly, thinks she don't wan' do
And if she gets unruly and thinks she don't wan' do
Take my 32-20, now, and cut her half in two
She got a .38 special but I believe it's most too light
I got a 32-20, got to make the caps alright
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
All the doctors in Hot Springs sure can't help her none
I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gonna shoot my gatling gun
I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gotta shoot my gatling gun
You made me love you, now your man have come
Ahoh, baby, where you stayed last night
Ahah, baby, where you stayed last night
You got your hair all tangled and you ain't talking right
Her .38 special, boys, it do very well
Her .38 special, boys, it do very well
I got a 32-20 now, and it's a burning
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
All the doctors in Wisconsin sure can't help her none
Hey, hey, baby, where you stayed last night
Hey, hey, baby, where you stayed last night
You didn't come home until the sun was shining bright
Ahoh boy, I just can't take my rest
Ahoh boy, I just can't take my rest
With this 32-20 laying up and down my breast
The song "32-20 Blues" by Rory Block is a classic blues song that describes a man's frustration with his unfaithful lover. The first and second stanzas talk about the man's attempts to call for his lover but with no response from her. He then states that even if she were to show up, the doctors in Hot Springs, the area where they're from, couldn't help her. The third and fourth stanzas describe the man's intentions to harm his lover if she becomes difficult, by cutting her in two with his 32-20, which is more powerful than her .38 special. The fifth and sixth stanzas show the man's agitation with his lover's unfaithfulness as he asks her where she was the night before, mentioning that her hair was tangled and she wasn't talking right. The final stanza depicts the man's unease with his 32-20 as he lays it up and down his breast.
The song is a typical example of a blues song that expresses the emotions of a man who's in a troubled relationship, delivering his frustration with his lover's actions. The lyrics are straightforward and use simple language, which is a common feature of blues songs. The use of weapons as metaphors for resolving conflicts is also a common theme in blues music.
Line by Line Meaning
F I send for my baby, and she don't come
If I call for my lover and she doesn't arrive
All the doctors in Hot Springs sure can't help her none
No doctors can fix her absence or make her arrive
And if she gets unruly, thinks she don't wan' do
If she becomes stubborn and refuses to come
Take my 32-20, now, and cut her half in two
I'll use my gun and threaten her to come or face consequences
She got a .38 special but I believe it's most too light
Her gun won't be strong enough to defend herself against mine
I got a 32-20, got to make the caps alright
I need to prepare my gun ammunition to be ready to use if needed
I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gonna shoot my gatling gun
I'll use all the weapons at my disposal to deal with the situation
You made me love you, now your man have come
I fell in love with her, and now I'm coming for her
Ahoh, baby, where you stayed last night
Hey, baby, where were you last night?
You got your hair all tangled and you ain't talking right
She looks disheveled and seems to be hiding something
Her .38 special, boys, it do very well
Her gun is effective in most situations
I got a 32-20 now, and it's a burning
My gun is strong and powerful and ready to use if needed
All the doctors in Wisconsin sure can't help her none
Even if she's sick, no doctors can help her come to me
You didn't come home until the sun was shining bright
She stayed out all night, and only came home in the morning
Ahoh boy, I just can't take my rest
I am restless and uneasy about her absence
With this 32-20 laying up and down my breast
I am holding my gun close to me, always prepared in case she shows up
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROBERT JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind