Wold was born in Oakland, California. When he was four years old, his parents split up. His father played boogie-woogie piano and Wold tried to learn when he was five or six, but could not. At the age of eight, he learned to play the guitar from K. C. Douglas, who worked at his grandfather's garage, later realizing that he had been taught the blues. Douglas wrote the song "Mercury Blues" and had played with Tommy Johnson in the early 1940s. Wold left home at 13 to avoid abuse at the hands of his stepfather, and lived rough and on the road in Tennessee, Mississippi and elsewhere, until 1973. He would travel long distances by hopping freight trains, looking for work as a farm labourer or in other seasonal jobs, often living as a hobo. At various times, Wold worked as a carnie, a cowboy and a migrant worker. Paraphrasing H. L. Mencken, Wold described this time of his life by saying "Hobos are people who move around looking for work, tramps are people who move around but don't look for work, and bums are people who don't move and don't work. I've been all three."
When asked about his nickname, Wold has said: "because it's just true: I always get seasick". When he was ill on a ferry from Norway to Copenhagen, later in his life, a friend began playfully using the name and, despite Wold not rising to it for a while, it stuck. When asked about his name on British Sunday morning television show, Something for the Weekend, he replied, "I just get sick on boats". On Top Gear, when asked about his name, Wold replied "Well, I guess I just don't like boats!"
Wold made his first UK television appearance on Jools Holland's annual Hootenanny BBC TV show on New Year's Eve 2006. He performed a live rendition of "Dog House Boogie" on the "Three String Trance Wonder" and the "Mississippi Drum Machine". After that show his popularity exploded in Britain, as he explained in an interview:
"I can't believe it, all of the sudden I'm like the cat's meow!"
He was well received in the UK, winning the 2007 MOJO Award for Best Breakthrough Act and going on to appear at major UK festivals such as Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury. In 2007 he played more UK festivals than any other artist.
Wold toured early in 2008, playing in various venues and festivals in the UK. He was joined on stage by drummer Dan Magnusson. KT Tunstall also dueted with Wold at the London Astoria in January 2008.[20] Wold also played many other festivals throughout the world in 2008, including Fuji Rock in Japan, East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival in Australia, also in April 2008,[21] and Roskilde in Denmark.
Wold's major-label debut, I Started Out with Nothin and I Still Got Most of It Left was recorded with Dan Magnusson on drums, was released by Warner Music on September 29, 2008, and features Ruby Turner and Nick Cave's Grinderman.
He has toured the UK extensively since 2007 being supported by Duke Garwood, Gemma Ray, The Sugars, Billie the Vision and the Dancers in January 2008, Amy LaVere in October 2008, Melody Nelson at the Brighton Dome on 7 October, and Joe Gideon & The Shark in January 2009. His tours in October 2008 and January 2009 were all sold out and included performances at the Royal Albert Hall, the Edinburgh Queen's Hall, the Grand Opera House in Belfast, the Apollo in Manchester, the City Hall in Newcastle and the London Hammersmith Apollo.
In 2009, Wold was nominated for a Brit Award in the category of International Solo Male Artist, That same year, BBC Four broadcast a documentary of Wold visiting the southern USA entitled Seasick Steve: Bringing It All Back Home. On January 21, Wold hosted "Folk America: Hollerers, Stompers and Old Time Ramblers" at the Barbican in London, a show that was also televised and shown with the documentary on BBC Four as part of a series tracing American roots music.
In an interview with an Australian magazine, Wold attributes much of his unlikely success to his cheap and weather-beaten guitar, "The Trance Wonder" and reveals the guitar's mojo might come from supernatural sources. "I got it from Sherman, who is a friend of mine down in Mississippi, who had bought it down at a Goodwill store. When we were down there last time he says to me, 'I didn't tell you when you bought it off me, but that guitar used to be haunted'. I say, 'What are you talking about, Sherman?'. He says, 'There’s 50 solid citizens here in Como who'll tell you this guitar is haunted. It's the darnedest thing – we’d leave it over in the potato barn and we'd come back in and it would be moved. You'd put it down somewhere and the next morning you’d come back and it would have moved. When you took that guitar the ghost in the barn left'. He told me this not very long ago and I said to him, 'Sherman! Why didn't you tell me this before?' and he said, 'Well the ghost was gone – I didn't want it around here no more!'"
On January 3, 2010, Wold appeared on the popular BBC motoring show Top Gear as the Star In A Reasonably Priced Car. He was the last star to drive in the blue Chevrolet Lacetti.
In February 2010, Wold was nominated for a Brit Award in the category of International Solo Male Artist for the second consecutive year.
In 2010, Wold made numerous festival appearances throughout the summer, including the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, the main stage at V Festival, the main stage at the Hop Farm Festival and many more.
In February 2011, Wold signed to Play It Again Sam to release his new album with the exception of the US, where it will be released on Third Man Records. Subsequently his new album You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks was released on his new labels and it was announced that former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones had played on the new album, and performed alongside Wold to promote it.
On 16 August 2014 he was the headline act at Beautiful Days in Exeter, UK, and on the 24th August he headlined at 'Victorious Festival' in Southsea, Portsmouth, UK.
Happy Man
Seasick Steve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I think it's time I get
A little bit of that promised land
(And if you, just put your arms around me
I believe I can make you a happy man)
Woah Happy Man,
And for a little little while
I will be a Happy Man
I aint asking for much
Just your sweet touch
And for a little little while
I'll be happy and such
Well
Sure
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
I'll be happy and such
Well I think it's my turn
Well I think I've Earned
I've got the scars to show
I've got the fires that burn
So have a little little mercy
Do what you can
And for a little little while
I will be a happy man
Well
Sure
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
I will be a happy man
Just a happy man
Just a happy man
For a little little while
I will be a happy man
Just a happy man
Just a happy man
For a little little while
I will be a happy man
Yes a Happy man
Yes a happy man
And for a little little while
I will be a happy man
And for a little little while
I will be a happy man
Yeah for a little little while
I-I will be ,woooaahhh a happy man
Now what you think about that?
In this song, Seasick Steve is expressing his discontent with life and how it has beaten him down. He sees the promised land, a metaphor for a better life, and believes that if he can just receive a little help and support from those around him, he can become a happy man. The repetition of the phrase "happy man" throughout the song emphasizes the importance of this goal to him. He then acknowledges that he hasn't asked for much, just a "sweet touch," and that it won't take much to make him happy.
The lyrics also suggest that Seasick Steve feels that he has earned this happiness through his struggles and "scars." He asks for mercy from those around him and pleas for them to do what they can to help him achieve the promised land. At the end of the song, he affirms his belief that he can become a happy man, at least for a little while, suggesting that this happiness might be fleeting but still worthwhile.
Overall, the song is a moving expression of the struggles and hopes that we all have in life. Seasick Steve presents a relatable message of the importance of community and support in achieving happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh this life has knocked me down to my knees
Life has been difficult and challenging for me
And I think it's time I get a little bit of that promised land
I believe I deserve some good fortune and happiness in my life
And if you, just put your arms around me
If you show me love and support
I believe I can make you a happy man
I can reciprocate your love and make you happy
Woah Happy Man, Yeah Happy Man
Expressing joy and happiness
And for a little little while I will be a Happy Man
Even if it's just temporary, I will feel happy
I aint asking for much
I don't need a lot to feel content
Just your sweet touch
Your affection is enough to make me happy
Well, sure
Agreeing with a statement or request
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Non-verbal expression of joy and playfulness
I'll be happy and such
I will feel happy and content
Well I think it's my turn
I believe I've waited long enough for my happiness
Well I think I've Earned
I believe I deserve happiness and good fortune
I've got the scars to show
I have suffered in the past and it has left a mark on me
I've got the fires that burn
I have strong passion and determination
So have a little little mercy
Please be kind and understanding
Do what you can
Help me in any way you can
Just a happy man
Feeling content and joyful
Yes a Happy man
Expressing that happiness has been achieved
And for a little little while I will be a happy man
Even if it's just temporary, I will feel happy
Now what you think about that?
Asking for the other person's opinion about the situation
Contributed by Kaitlyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keenan Field
I just discovered Seasick today. And it has made my year. I love every note I have heard.
Steve Lawrence
Great album by a true performer!
bluesmol73
Saw him a couple of days ago in Bilbao. Great voice, great sound, great drummer, great concert and a very funny man.
SuperZombiesmurf
he is just the most amazin man, so much talent
Lone Wolf
Can't understand why anyone would thumb down Steve and to do when Ruby is singing with him is just INSANE!
Steve Wiggins
any one who can get a tune out a pair of morris minor hub caps like this guy does is a geneous. love the album
Mark Robinson
love this :)
brett sturgeon
just started getting into seasick steve , and hes actually the best singer ever , besides dan auerbach from the black keys
Thousands of Years
Great tune
Declan *
Thanks heaps for the upload! Took me a while to find this song, when I heard it on the radio I thought the guy said it was by c16 lol!