Milk Cow Blues
Sleepy John Este Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lemme be her kid
She says, 'I might get boogied
Like to keep it hid'
Well, she looked at me
She be-gin to smile
Says, 'I thought I would use you
'That you just don't my husband
Catch you there
Now, just-just don't let my
Husband catch you there'
Now, went upstairs
To pack my leavin' trunk
I never saw no whiskey
The blues done made me, sloppy drunk
Say, I never saw no whiskey
Blues done made me sloppy drunk
Now, I never saw no whiskey
But the blues done made me sloppy drunk
Now some said, disease
Some said it was, degree'in
But it's the slow consumption
Killin' you by degrees
Lord, it's the slow consumption
Killin' you by degrees
Now, it's-a slow consumption
An it's killin' you by degrees.
In Sleepy John Estes's song Milk Cow Blues, the singer asks a woman to be "her kid," meaning she wants to be taken care of and protected by her. However, the woman is hesitant, saying that she might "get boogied," or cause trouble, if she and the singer were to become involved. Despite this, the woman agrees to be with the singer for a while, but warns him not to be caught by her husband.
The singer then goes upstairs to pack his "leavin' trunk," indicating that he plans to leave town. He laments the fact that the blues have made him "sloppy drunk," even though he claims to have never seen any whiskey. The final stanza of the song addresses the slow consumption that is killing the singer by degrees.
Overall, the song seems to be about a man who is down on his luck and looking for comfort from a woman, but is aware of the risks involved in pursuing this path. The reference to slow consumption may suggest a broader societal commentary on poverty and its effects on individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Now asks sweet mama
The singer asks his lover to let him be her child.
Lemme be her kid
He wants to be pampered and taken care of.
She says, 'I might get boogied
His lover is hesitant to agree and fears that it may expose them.
Like to keep it hid'
She wants to keep their affair secret.
Well, she looked at me
She gives him a seductive look.
She be-gin to smile
She begins to feel turned on by him.
Says, 'I thought I would use you
She wants to have an affair with him for her sexual satisfaction.
For my man a while
He is just a temporary partner she seeks to fulfill her desires.
'That you just don't my husband
She warns him not to get caught by her jealous husband.
Catch you there
She is worried that infidelity would create a scandal and disrupt their family life.
Now, went upstairs
The singer is getting ready to leave.
To pack my leavin' trunk
He is packing his belongings and planning to depart.
I never saw no whiskey
He has not been drinking.
The blues done made me, sloppy drunk
He is feeling sad and depressed, which has made him act recklessly.
Say, I never saw no whiskey
Repeats the fact that he has not been drinking alcohol.
But the blues done made me sloppy drunk
His emotional state is the reason for his drunken behavior.
Now some said, disease
People think his behavior is due to a physical illness.
Some said it was, degree'in
Others attribute it to his education level.
But it's the slow consumption
The singer knows that neither of those is why he feels the way he does.
Killin' you by degrees
His emotional state is slowly destroying him.
Lord, it's the slow consumption
He repeats that it is his emotional state that is causing his problems.
An it's killin' you by degrees.
His emotional state is gradually weakening him every day.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN ESTES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jean-micheldehalu6572
Now asks sweet mama
Lemme be her kid
She says, 'I might get boogied
Like to keep it hid'
Well, she looked at me
She be-gin to smile
Says, 'I thought I would use you
For my man a while
'That you just don't my husband
Catch you there
Now, just-just don't let my
Husband catch you there'
Now, went upstairs
To pack my leavin' trunk
I never saw no whiskey
The blues done made me, sloppy drunk
Say, I never saw no whiskey
Blues done made me sloppy drunk
Now, I never saw no whiskey
But the blues done made me sloppy drunk
Now some said, disease
Some said it was, degree'in
But it's the slow consumption
Killin' you by degrees
Lord, it's the slow consumption
Killin' you by degrees
Now, it's-a slow consumption
An it's killin' you by degrees.
@Odin029
Peter Måhlin I love Sleepy John Estes music. He is unique with his voice and his phrasing. I remember when I first tried to learn Drop Down Mama, getting the timing down was so hard. Anyway, it's been a long time since I tried to transcribe an old blues. I'm shaky on a couple of lines, but here's my best effort...
Now I asks sweet mama let me be her kid
She says I might get bugged(buggied) got to keep it hid
Well she looked at me she begin to smile
Says I thought I would use for my man a while
Just don't let my husband catch you there
Now just don't let my husband catch you there
Now went upstairs to pack my leavin trunk
I never saw no whiskey the blues done made me sloppy drunk
Say I never saw no whiskey, the blues made me sloppy drunk
Now I never saw no whiskey but the blues done made me sloppy drunk
Now some say it was the bean, some said it was the beans
but it's the slow consumption killing you by degrees
Lord it's the slow consumption killing you by degrees
Now it's the slow consumption and it's killing you by degrees.
@shlomolibby1078
I was born and raised in Memphis, and what a blessing to have been able to hear Mr. Estes perform. He made it look sooooo easy !!!
May he, and all his blues musician contemporaries, find the peace and respect they so richly deserved in Heaven - And here on Earth ,now we have had to give them up, continue to honor them by listening to their fine tunes........
@pomodoro2c
When I listen to old music, it's one of the few times... I actually have a kind of love for humanity.
@1badplayer
Only for a short while...
@tedkirkendall
The mandolin player he played with - Yank Rachell - lived his last years here in Indianapolis and was friends with many of my blues friends.
@battsbrownsauce1274
This song is not Milkcow blues but is a wonderful song. 'Smoke on something' I think is the real name. But John Estes is excellent and Yank Rachell mandolin is excellent, Bill Monroe would be a fan for sure.
@spoonful1018
@@battsbrownsauce1274 That is not Yank Rachel in the photo though - maybe Joe McCoy
@minute-ai-156
@@spoonful1018 My grandmother confirmed it's Yank and that's her uncle.
@chukcanuk
Yank Ranchell is wild.
@jgsimmons6
Met Yank there in 1971, great guy.
@charlesgreen6395
On May 28/29 Sleepy john Estes Blues fest at Exit 52, I-40 in Brownville, Tn. He lives on!