His guitar playing is noted for its dark, minor-key sound, played in an open D-minor tuning with an intricate finger picking technique. James first recorded for Paramount Records in 1931, but these recordings sold poorly, having been released during the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity.
After a long absence from the public eye, James was "rediscovered" in 1964 by blues enthusiasts, helping further the blues and folk music revival of the 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, James appeared at folk and blues festivals, gave concerts around the country and recorded several albums for various record labels. His songs have influenced generations of musicians and have been adapted by numerous artists. He has been hailed as "one of the seminal figures of the blues.
James was described as aloof and moody. The musicologist Dick Spottswood commented, "Skip James, you never knew. Skip could be sunshine, or thunder and lightning depending on his whim of the moment".
James is sometimes associated with the Bentonia School, which is either a subgenre of blues music or a style of playing it. Calt, in his 1994 biography of James, I'd Rather Be the Devil: Skip James and the Blues, maintained that no style of blues originated in Bentonia and that the "Bentonia School" is simply a notion of later blues writers who overestimated the provinciality of Mississippi during the early 20th century, when railways linked small towns, and who failed to see that in the case of Jack Owens, "the 'tradition' he bore primarily consisted of musical scraps from James' table". Owens and other musicians who may have been contemporaries of James were not recorded until the revival of interest in blues music in the 1960s. Whether the work of these musicians constituted a "school" and whether James originated it or was a member of it remain open questions.
Four O'clock Blues
Skip James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I woke up this morning, my clock was striking four
I thought about my baby, she's knocking on my door
Aye, tell me, mama, what more can daddy do?
You tell me, baby, what more can daddy do?
I've tried so hard to get along with you
I ain't never loved, darling, hope I never will
I ain't never loved, darling, I hope I never will
And it's a brownskin gal, she's rollin' 'cross my mind
It's a brownskin gal, she's rollin' 'cross my mind
And she keeps me worried, bothered all the time
I'm gonna sing this verse and I, ain't gonna sing no more
I sing this verse and I, ain't gonna sing no more
And when I left home, my clock was striking four
Goodbye, my darling, honey, it's fare you well
Goodbye, my darling, honey, it's fare you well
Said, goodbye, my darling, honey, then it's fare you well
Four O'clock Blues is a classic blues song by Skip James, with lyrics that revolve around love and the frustration that comes with it. The song starts off with the singer waking up in the morning to the sound of his clock striking four. He then thinks about his lover who he assumes is knocking on his door. The singer wants to know what more he can do to please his lover, but she seems unimpressed since he has already done all he could.
The theme of love is then explored in the next verse. The singer reveals that he has never loved anyone and hopes he never will. However, there is a brownskin girl that keeps crossing his mind, and she bothers him all the time. The singer is worried and troubled by the thought of this girl, despite claiming to have never loved anyone before.
The song then ends abruptly, with the singer announcing that he will sing no more after the verse he just sang. He then bids goodbye to his lover, saying that she should fare well.
In summary, Four O'Clock Blues highlights the mixed emotions and frustration that come with love. Skip James expresses feelings of love, despair, worry, and resignation all in one song.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up this morning, clock was striking four
I woke up early in the morning, around the time of 4 AM
I woke up this morning, my clock was striking four
I woke up in the morning when my clock struck 4 o'clock
I thought about my baby, she's knocking on my door
I was thinking about my lover, who might show up at my door soon
Aye, tell me, mama, what more can daddy do?
Hey, tell me, my lover, what else can I do to please you?
You tell me, baby, what more can daddy do?
You tell me, my lover, what else can I do to make you happy?
I've tried so hard to get along with you
I have made many efforts to keep our relationship going
I ain't never loved, darling, hope I never will
I have not fallen in love before and I hope it never happens
I ain't never loved, darling, I hope I never will
I have never been in love, and I don't want to experience it
It's a brownskin gal, she's rollin' 'cross my mind
I am thinking about a woman of color, who is always on my mind
And she keeps me worried, bothered all the time
She causes me stress and anxiety all the time
I'm gonna sing this verse and I, ain't gonna sing no more
I will perform this stanza only once, and then I will stop singing
I sing this verse and I, ain't gonna sing no more
I will perform this stanza only once, before I stop singing
And when I left home, my clock was striking four
When I left home, it was very early in the morning
Goodbye, my darling, honey, it's fare you well
Goodbye, my love, I bid you farewell
Said, goodbye, my darling, honey, then it's fare you well
Said, farewell, my love, then it's time to go
Contributed by Declan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dan Vito
Crossnote tuning for this one. Skip James had a unique style. Got a DVD filled with lessons of his tunes.
BARKINGattheMOON100
😎😎😎