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.
How Long Buck
Skip James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, how long
That evenin' train been gone?
So long, honey, so long
I got to the station
When she left town
I'm blue an disgusted
Howlin', how long
Baby, how long
Honey, how
How long, baby
That evenin' train been gone?
But so long
Baby, so long
Honey, so long
How long
Baby, how
Am I to be
Treated wrong?
But in so long
Honey, so long
Honey, so
How long
Baby, how
Why must I keep my
Watch in pawn?
But so long
Baby, so long
Honey, so
How long
Baby, how
How long, to sing this
But honey
Honey, so long
And baby, so
The song "How Long Buck" by Skip James is a blues ballad about heartbreak and longing. The lyrics in the song repeat the phrase "How long baby, how long" throughout, signifying the duration of the singer's pain and grief. The song is a lament about the loss of a loved one, who took the evening train and left the singer feeling "blue and disgusted." The singer is left feeling lost and without direction, unsure of where to turn or how to move on.
The lyrics in the song also address the idea of being treated unfairly and suffering mistreatment. The singer questions "How long, to sing this, but honey, honey, so long," indicating that the pain and suffering he feels are prolonged and enduring. He also questions why he must keep his watch in pawn, symbolizing the hardships and struggles he has faced in his life. Overall, the song is a poignant expression of sadness and sorrow, with the singer's heart-rending vocals taking center stage.
Interesting facts:
Line by Line Meaning
How long
The singer is questioning how much longer they must wait for something.
Baby, how long
The singer is asking their loved one how much longer they will be apart.
That evenin' train been gone?
The singer is wondering how long it has been since their loved one left on the evening train.
So long, honey, so long
The artist expresses their sadness and longing for their loved one.
I got to the station
The artist went to the train station to see their loved one depart.
When she left town
The singer's loved one left town, leaving them behind.
I'm blue an disgusted
The singer is feeling sad and frustrated about the situation.
I didn't know where to be bound
The artist is lost and unsure of what to do next without their loved one.
Howlin', how long
The artist is howling in pain and asking how much longer they must suffer.
Baby, how long
The artist is asking their loved one again how much longer they will be separated.
Honey, how
The singer is using 'honey' as an endearment for their loved one before asking another question.
Am I to be
The artist is wondering why they have to endure mistreatment.
Treated wrong?
The singer is asking why they are being treated badly.
Why must I keep my
The singer is questioning why they have to do something that makes them unhappy.
Watch in pawn?
The singer is wondering why they have to pawn something important to them.
How long, to sing this
The artist is referring to the length of time it takes to express their pain through music.
But honey
The artist, once again, uses 'honey' as an endearment before continuing his question.
And baby, so long
The singer is expressing his longing for his loved one and hoping they will be reunited soon.
Contributed by Aaron R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.