In 1957, Buchanan made his recording debut, playing the solo on Dale Hawkins' "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Three years later, Buchanan headed north to Canada, where he took charge of the guitar role in Ronnie Hawkins' band (a group later to gain fame as The Band). The group's guitar player, Robbie Robertson, studied guitar under Buchanan, and took over the lead guitar spot when Buchanan left the group.
The early 60's found Buchanan performing numerous gigs as a sideman with multiple rock bands, and cutting a number of sessions as guitarist with musicians such as Freddy Cannon and Merle Kilgore.
Buchanan's 1962 recording with drummer Bobby Gregg, "Potato Peeler", first introduced the trademark Buchanan pinch harmonics. An effort to cash in on the British Invasion caught Buchanan with The British Walkers. In the mid-'60's, Buchanan settled down in the Washington, DC area, playing as a sideman before starting his own groups. One of these groups was called The Snakestretchers, an allusion to Buchanan's disdain for the vagaries of the band experience. The Snakestretchers became a semi-permanent combo for Buchanan starting in this period, with whom he made his first acclaimed recording as a front man, Roy Buchanan & the Snakestretchers. Danny Gatton was another respected Telecaster master who lived in Washington, D.C. at that time. Both musicians gained reputations as under-appreciated guitarists.
In 1971, riding on word-of-mouth reputation that included praise from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, and an alleged invitation to join the Rolling Stones, Buchanan gained national notoriety as the result of an hour-long Public broadcasting television documentary. Entitled "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World", the show rejuvenated a contract with Polydor and began a decade of national and international touring. He recorded five albums for Polydor (one went gold) and three for Atlantic Records (one gold), while playing most major rock concert halls and festivals. Finally, Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.
Four years later, Buchanan was coaxed back into the studio by Alligator Records. His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays The Blues, was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he was given total artistic freedom in the studio. It was also his first true blues album. Fans quickly responded, and the album entered Billboard's pop charts and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. Music critics, as well as fans, applauded Roy's efforts with favorable reviews.
His second Alligator LP, Dancing on the Edge, was released in the fall of 1986. The album, featuring three songs with special guest, rock'n'soul vocalist Delbert McClinton, won the College Media Journal Award for Best Blues Album of 1986.
He released the twelfth LP of his career and his third for Alligator, Hot Wires, in 1987. In addition to Donald Kinsey (formerly with Albert King and Bob Marley), keyboardist Stan Szelest, and Larry Exum (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums), this album includes guest vocals by veteran soul singer Johnny Sayles and blues singer Kanika Kress.
Buchanan died August 14, 1988 in the Fairfax County, Virginia jail while being held after an arrest for public drunkeness. His death was ruled a suicide, although that finding has been disputed by friends and family.
Sign On The Window
Roy Buchanan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sign on the door says "No Company Allowed"
Sign on the street says "You Don't Own Me"
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
Her and her boyfriend went to California
Her and her boyfriend done changed their tune
Brighton girls are like the moon
Brighton girls are like the moon"
Looks like nothing but rain
Sure gonna be wet tonight on Main Street
Hope that it don't sleet
Build me a cabin in Utah
Marry me a wife and catch rainbow trout
Have a bunch of kids who call me "Pa"
That must be what it's all about
That must be what it's all about
Sign on the window says "Lonely"
Sign on the door says "No Company Allowed"
Sign on the street says "You Don't Own Me"
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
The first four lines of Roy Buchanan's song Sign On The Window set the stage for a story of loneliness and isolation. The signs on the window, door, street, and porch all seem to convey messages that discourage interaction with others. The repetition of the line "Three's a Crowd" on the porch sign suggests that even having one additional person around would be overwhelming. This paints a picture of someone who is trying to keep people away because they cannot handle the emotional burden of forming close relationships.
The second half of the song introduces a story about a girl who has gone to California with her boyfriend and has now changed her tune. The singer's friend warned him that Brighton girls are like the moon, suggesting that they are fickle and changeable. This could mean that the girl has left the singer to be with someone else, or simply that she has changed in some fundamental way that makes it difficult for the singer to connect with her.
Overall, the song seems to be about the difficulty of connecting with others and the fear of being vulnerable in a relationship. The signs on the window and door symbolize the emotional barriers we put up to protect ourselves, while the story of the girl in California represents the uncertainty and instability that can make it difficult to form lasting connections.
Line by Line Meaning
Sign on the window says "Lonely"
The person living in the house is feeling lonely and isolated.
Sign on the door says "No Company Allowed"
The person living in the house does not want any visitors or guests.
Sign on the street says "You Don't Own Me"
The person living in the house feels a sense of freedom and does not want to be owned or controlled by anyone.
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
The person living in the house is not comfortable with too many people around and prefers solitude.
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
The person living in the house repeats the message that too many people are not welcome.
Her and her boyfriend went to California
Someone has left to go to California with their significant other.
Her and her boyfriend done changed their tune
The person's attitude or behavior has changed due to the influence of their significant other.
My best friend said, "Didn' I try and warn ya
The person's friend had previously warned them and is now reminding them of that warning.
Brighton girls are like the moon
The person's friend is using a metaphor to describe the unpredictability or mystery of women from Brighton.
Looks like nothing but rain
The weather forecast suggests that it will rain heavily soon.
Sure gonna be wet tonight on Main Street
The person predicts that the rain will cause flooding or other issues on Main Street.
Hope that it don't sleet
The person hopes that the rain does not turn into sleet, which can be dangerous and destructive.
Build me a cabin in Utah
The person desires to live a simple life in a cabin in the state of Utah.
Marry me a wife and catch rainbow trout
The person wants to get married and enjoy the simple pleasures in life, such as fishing for rainbow trout.
Have a bunch of kids who call me "Pa"
The person wants to have children and be called "Pa" by them.
That must be what it's all about
The person reflects on what truly matters in life and concludes that family and simple joys are what make life fulfilling.
Sign on the window says "Lonely"
The person living in the house is still lonely and isolated.
Sign on the door says "No Company Allowed"
The person living in the house is still not interested in having visitors or guests.
Sign on the street says "You Don't Own Me"
The person living in the house still values their freedom and independence.
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
The person reiterates that they prefer to be alone or with only a few people.
Sign on the porch says "Three's a Crowd"
The person emphasizes that too many people are not welcome in their space.
Writer(s): Bob Dylan, Dylan Bob
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.