As a child, Smokey's burning desire to play the blues had to be satisfied on a homemade broom handle and bailing wire guitar until his mother bought him his first acoustic at thirteen. He would soon be known as "Mississippi Smokey" in and around his hometown of Glen Allan. Nearby Greenville was a hotbed of blues activity and spawned a new generation of bluesmen that carry on the tradition today. Artists such as Little Milton, Frank Frost, Sam Carr, Big Jack Johnson, along with Smokey, were nurtured in the juke joints around Greenville. Smokey played drums and bass in his older brother's band until he could outplay his sibling on guitar. The band was then renamed "Little Robert and the Soul Searchers" and toured Southern juke joints with Roosevelt "Booba" Barnes on harmonica.
After the death of his mother in 1970, Smokey went west to Los Angeles where the blues scene was still burgeoning. He soon opened the Pioneer Club just outside Watts and Smokey recalls with pride that he kept it packed for twenty years. Regularly featured guests included Big Joe Turner, Pee Wee Crayton, Shakey Jake, Big Mama Thornton, Percy Mayfield, Johnny Dyer, Albert Collins, and George "Harmonica" Smith. The Pioneer Club also provided a proving ground for many young, aspiring blues artists such as Rod Piazza, William Clarke and Hollywood Fats.
The association with Rod Piazza led to a recording contract with the local Murray Brothers label, which released an LP entitled 88th Street Blues in 1983. That album was re-issued on CD, with three previously unreleased tracks, on Blind Pig. Produced by Rod Piazza, it features Smokey's blistering blues and includes Piazza on harmonica, Hollywood Fats on rhythm guitar and Honey Piazza on piano.
Smokey is difficult if not impossible to categorize. Possessor of a powerful voice, he can bellow like Wolf or cry sweetly like B.B. King. Smokey's guitar playing is equally diverse as he romps through the stylings of Elmore James and Jimmy Reed (which Smokey calls "countryfied blues") one song and then polished urban blues the next. He also digs into the soulful side a la Z.Z. Hill and Tyrone Davis, which was extremely popular with the patrons of the Pioneer Club. Smokey's singing and playing bear the influences of these greats, not by impersonation, but by the fact that Smokey is the genuine article.
Unfortunately, Smokey's years of success at the Pioneer Club did very little for his reputation outside the West Coast. Running and performing at the club made it impossible to tour extensively and gain the exposure and accolades due an artist of his talent. However, he was able to remove himself from the club long enough to help start the Long Beach Blues Festival and be featured in the internationally televised PBS special, "Three Generation of Blues," with Robert Cray and John Lee Hooker. With the recent release of a pair of albums on the Bullseye label, Smokey has begun to receive his long overdue recognition as a blues power. Moreover, Smokey's congenial and gregarious nature make him a natural for film and television projects. He has appeared in numerous commercials, UPN's "The Watcher," and FOX's "Divas" and even in a music video by R&B star Babyface.
Blind Pig Records: Blind Pig Records - Artists - Smokey Wilson
I Didn't Know
Smokey Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No I didn't know, baby you was out last night
Well I do know, you don't treat me right
I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
No I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
Well I do know darling, you don't treat me right
No I didn't know, you was in New Orleans last night
Well I do know sweetheart, you don't treat me nice
I didn't know, you was lovin' somebody else
No I didn't know, babe you was lovin' somebody else
I didn't know, but I know now
In Smokey Wilson's song "I Didn't Know," he expresses his surprise and disappointment upon discovering that his lover has been unfaithful to him. The repeated refrain of "I didn't know" emphasizes his naivete and the extent to which he has been in the dark about his partner's actions. The specificity of the details he mentions - that she was out last night, riding in his car, in New Orleans - heightens the sense of betrayal and adds a layer of personal hurt to the lyrics.
Wilson's assertation that she doesn't treat him right underscores the power dynamics in their relationship; he perceives himself as having been wronged and seeks to call out her actions. The final line of the song - "I didn't know, but I know now" - represents a turning point for Wilson, as he confronts the reality of his situation and seeks to move forward. Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of the emotions associated with infidelity and the difficulty of facing uncomfortable truths in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I didn't know, you was out last night baby
I wasn't aware that you were out last night, my dear.
No I didn't know, baby you was out last night
I had no clue that you were out last night, my dear.
Well I do know, you don't treat me right
However, what I am sure of is that you've not been treating me well.
I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
I had no idea that you were riding with him in my car yesterday evening.
No I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
I was completely oblivious that you were riding with him in my car yesterday evening.
Well I do know darling, you don't treat me right
However, I'm quite certain, my dear, that you haven't treated me well.
I didn't know, you was down in New Orleans last night
I wasn't informed that you were in New Orleans last night.
No I didn't know, you was in New Orleans last night
I had absolutely no idea that you were in New Orleans last night.
Well I do know sweetheart, you don't treat me nice
However, I am sure, my dear, that you haven't been treating me kindly.
I didn't know, you was lovin' somebody else
I wasn't aware that you were loving someone else.
No I didn't know, babe you was lovin' somebody else
I had no idea that you were loving another person, my dear.
I didn't know, but I know now
I may not have known earlier, but I am aware of it now.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHESTER BURNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind