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.
Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues
Skip James Lyrics
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Times are harder than ever been before
You know that people, they are are driftin' from door to door
But you can't find no heaven, I don't care where they go
People, if I ever can get up off of this old hard killin' floor
Lord, I'll never get down this low no more
When you hear me singin' this old lonesome song
People, you know these hard times can last us so long
You know, you say you had money, you better be sure
Lord, these hard times gon' kill you, just drag on slow
In Skip James's song "Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues," the lyrics depict the struggles many people faced during The Great Depression. The song is essentially an observation of the times, with James lamenting how everywhere one goes, times are just getting increasingly harder. The opening lines, "Hard times is here and everywhere you go, times are harder than ever been before," contextualize the song as a reflection of the bleak times during the Depression. James then goes on to describe how people are "drifting from door to door," searching for a better life or solution to their struggles, but "can't find no heaven," no respite from the hardships.
The song takes a more personal turn in the third verse when James sings "People, if I ever can get off of this old hard killin' floor, Lord, I'll never get down this low no more." Here, he sings of his own struggle, highlighting how he is on the "hard killin' floor" but if he were ever able to escape it, he wouldn't want to return to that low point again. The sense of desperation and hopelessness is palpable through his vocals and lyrics. The song, therefore, remains a powerful commentary on the impact of widespread poverty and economic instability on individuals and society.
Line by Line Meaning
Hard times is here and everywhere you go
Difficult circumstances are present and widespread
Times are harder than ever been before
Current conditions are the most challenging of all
You know that people, they are are driftin' from door to door
Individuals are wandering aimlessly seeking solutions
But you can't find no heaven, I don't care where they go
No escape or relief can be found, no matter where one looks
People, if I ever can get up off of this old hard killin' floor
If I can move beyond this oppressive state of being
Lord, I'll never get down this low no more
I will never allow myself to be in this hopeless state again
When you hear me singin' this old lonesome song
While I perform this sad and mournful tune
People, you know these hard times can last us so long
These arduous circumstances we are in could persist for an extended time
You know, you say you had money, you better be sure
If you claim to be financially secure, double-check
Lord, these hard times gon' kill you, just drag on slow
These difficult times will harm and exhaust you gradually over time
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Nehemiah 'skip' James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Emir Korkmaz
Skip James' voice is just so spooky and soothing at the same time. What a man.
Rob Pattison
superb falsetto . do you know of a Jay Buchanan ?
Sammy L
True , maybe we should also call him the unfrightened prince
Barbara Dane
ONe of the masterpieces of early blues. The older he grows, the deeper his blues go. Heartbreaking voice, profound poetry and at the same time playing such unforgettable guitar. Skip James died not long after he made this recording, and we are all so lucky to be able to hear him.
NJSmithMusic
Barbara Dane Do you know when this recording was done? trying to find it
Kief
Barbara Dane wow
Rick
Well said Barbara.
J.T. Bomar
@NJSmithMusicI'd say 1929 to 1932 for sure.
Nicolas Moulin
this version was recorded in the sixties, when he was re-discovered @J.T. Bomar
Gary Hatch
This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful blues songs I can remember. Allusions to the dust bowl era and the depression. Strikes a chord in the modern times.