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).
Preachin' Blues
Rory Block Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I'm gonna get me a religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist Church
I'm gonna be a Baptist preacher, and I sure won't have to work
Oh, I'm a-preach these blues, and I, I want everybody to shout
I want everybody to shout
I'm gonna do like a prisoner, I'm gonna roll my time on out
Oh, I went in my room, I bowed down to pray
Till the blues come along, and they blowed my spirit1 away
Oh, I'd-a had religion, Lord, this every day
Oh, I'd-a had religion, Lord, this every day
But the womens and whiskey, well, they would not set me free
Oh, I wish I had me a heaven of my own
Hey, a heaven of my own
Till I'd give all my women a long, long, happy home
Hey, I love my baby, just like I love myself
Oh, just like I love myself
Well, if she don't have me, she won't have nobody else
In Rory Block's song Preachin' Blues, the singer expresses their intention to join the Baptist Church and become a Baptist preacher so that they won't have to work. The repetition of the first stanza emphasizes the singer's desire for a religious identity and a sense of belonging to a community. The singer wants everyone to shout when they preach these blues, indicating a desire for validation and acceptance. However, the blues keep creeping in and interrupting the singer's connection to spirituality. The blues is what originally filled the void and made the singer turn to religion in the first place. In the third stanza, the singer reveals that they were once religious but were pulled away by the temptations of women and whiskey. The singer longs for a heaven of their own where they can "give all [their] women a long, long, happy home." The final stanza suggests that the singer's love for their partner is like their love for themselves but warns that if she doesn't choose to be with him, she won't be with anyone else.
Overall, the lyrics of Preachin' Blues are about an internal struggle for belonging, purpose, and spirituality. The singer tries to find fulfillment in religion but is consistently pulled back into the world of blues and temptation. The song highlights the contradicting feelings and desires that exist within oneself, making it a relatable and introspective piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I'm gonna get me a religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist Church
I am planning to follow a religious path, I want to join the Baptist Church
I'm gonna be a Baptist preacher, and I sure won't have to work
I aspire to become a Baptist preacher, since it won't feel like work
Oh, I'm a-preach these blues, and I, I want everybody to shout
I am going to preach the blues and I want everyone to show enthusiasm by shouting
I'm gonna do like a prisoner, I'm gonna roll my time on out
I'm going to spend my time like a prisoner, just biding my time
Till the blues come along, and they blowed my spirit away
As soon as the blues arrived, they ruined my good mood
But the womens and whiskey, well, they would not set me free
Unfortunately, women and whiskey couldn't set me free, even though they were a source of pleasure
Oh, I wish I had me a heaven of my own
I wish I had my own version of heaven
Till I'd give all my women a long, long, happy home
I'd be so thankful if I could give all of the women in my life a long and happy home
Hey, I love my baby, just like I love myself
I cherish my love for my baby and myself equally
Well, if she don't have me, she won't have nobody else
If I am no longer with her, the woman I love won't be with anybody else
Oh, I went in my room, I bowed down to pray
I went into my room to pray
Oh, I'd-a had religion, Lord, this every day
I would have had faith every day
I want everybody to shout
I want everyone to shout
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Son House
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
whackamole
My goodness me! I came across after watching your Big Walter video. This is amazing. Like Johnny Winter meets Robert Pete Williams. Thank you for posting. She is fantastic.
C F
goddam
kitano0
I still run into guitarists that have never heard this woman...
She has never performed at any of the Crossroad Festivals...
That's a travesty, imho...
Sudersan Thapa
hmm really a cool stuffs yeah.
Hell'sBelle
Her voice doesn't do anything for me
Tom Wheeler
OK Hellen Keller that's not surprising. Listen to Gypsie Boy to hear what a sweet pretty voice Rory has. Blues singing try's not to be too sweet.