Born James Moore in Lobdel, Louisiana, the eldest in an orphaned family, Moore worked as a longshoreman and building worker during the late 1930s and early 1940s. One of the foremost proponents of post-war rural blues, he began performing in Baton Rouge bars under the name Harmonica Slim. He later accompanied Lightning Slim, his brother-in-law, both live and in the studio, before commencing his own recording career in 1957.
Named Slim Harpo by producer Jay Miller, the artist's solo debut coupled "I'm A King Bee" with "I Got Love If You Want It". Influenced by Jimmy Reed, he began recording for Excello and enjoyed a string of popular R&B singles which combined a drawling vocal with incisive harmonica passages. Among them were "Rainin' In My Heart" (1961), "I Love The Life I Live", "Buzzin'" (instrumental) and "Little Queen Bee" (1964). On these hits he was accompanied by understated electric backing from the regular stable of Excello musicians — including Lazy Lester, whom Harpo influenced.
The singer was known as one of the masters of the blues harmonica; the name "Slim Harpo" was a humorous takeoff on "slim harp," the popular nickname for the harmonica in blues circles.
Harpo was the point man of the 1950s Louisiana Swamp/Blues movement. Harpo, along with Lightning Slim, Lazy Lester, Lonesome Sundown, and a dozen other downhome artists recorded for A&R man J.D. Miller in Crowley, Louisiana. The records were then issued on the Excello label, based in Nashville.
Harpo's relaxed, almost lazy, performances set the tone for his subsequent work. His warm, languid voice enhanced the sexual metaphor of "I'm A King Bee", which was later recorded by the Rolling Stones. The same group also covered the pulsating "Shake Your Hips", which Harpo first issued in 1966, while the Pretty Things, the Yardbirds and Them featured versions of his songs in their early repertoires. Later, the riff from Harpo's hit "Shake Your Hips" was used in the ZZ Top hit "La Grange," and the Rolling Stones covered the song on their 1972 album, Exile On Main Street. Harpo enjoyed a notable US Top 20 pop hit in 1966 with "Baby Scratch My Back" (also a number 1 R&B hit), which revitalized his career.
Never a full-time musician, Harpo had his own trucking business during the 1960s, although he was a popular figure in the late 1960s blues revival, with appearances at several renowned venues including the Electric Circus and the Fillmore East. He died unexpectedly of a heart attack on 31 January 1970 at the age of 46, and was buried in Mulatto Bend Cemetery in Port Allen, Louisiana.
Strangelove
Slim Harpo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cutest thing I ever seen
Strange love
Cutest thing I ever seem
You remind me of something
That I have seen in a dream
Can I take you out to dinner
Can I take you out to dinner
Someplace where we can be alone?
Tell you how much I love you
Then let me hold you in my arms
You as sweet as honey
Love to be yo' honeycomb
You as sweet as any honey
I love to be yo' honeycomb
Then when the time is right, darlin'
There'll be some lovin' goin' on
Slim Harpo's "Strangelove" is a love song that expresses the singer's captivation by the object of his affections. The lyrics are simple but heartfelt as the singer expresses his admiration for the person he's singing about, describing this person as the "cutest thing" he has ever seen. He compares this person to something he has seen in a dream, indicating the dreamlike feelings he has when he is around this person.
The next verse suggests that the singer would like to take this person out on a date somewhere where they can be alone. He wants to express his love for them and hold them in his arms. The final verse compares the person to sweet honey, and the singer says he wants to be their "honeycomb," again expressing the depth of his affection for this person. The final line of the song suggests that when the time is right, they will engage in some "lovin'," indicating that the singer imagines a physical aspect to their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Strange love
An unusual love
Cutest thing I ever seen
The most adorable thing I've witnessed
You remind me of something
You resemble something from my past
That I have seen in a dream
That I remember from a dream I had
Can I take you out to dinner
May I invite you to a dinner date
Someplace where we can be alone?
A location where it will be just the two of us
Tell you how much I love you
Express my feelings of adoration for you
Then let me hold you in my arms
Followed by the desire to embrace you
You as sweet as honey
You are as delightful as honey
Love to be yo' honeycomb
I would love to be your significant other
Then when the time is right, darlin'
Eventually, at the appropriate moment, my love
There'll be some lovin' goin' on
There will be an expression of love in our relationship
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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@JohnJones-qy5ko
Love the haunting quality of this song, and how the bass player didn't ruin it by adding fancy runs.
@beverlycashin4320
I love this song. And I love the extra beats he adds to the basic 12-bar.
@loukdare2904
A classic !!!
@verenavonschonburg-waldenb8636
that is a very nice little story or anecdote. Does anyone know it this was a mark or a rememberance of Slim Harpo himself?
I really would like to know. I did not know and how could I what was it like working on a farm around the 50s.
It must have been a very difficult time for people who had to work there and getting not enough money paid for their work and afro americans especially.
Maybe maybe not those kind of people had to bring out or describe what they have experienced in such bad and unfair circumstances, and that is just the opinion of someone who lives in Germany.....