House was born, the middle of three brothers, in Riverton, Mississippi, two miles from famed blues capital Clarksdale, Mississippi. Around age seven or eight, he was brought by his mother to Tallulah, Louisiana after his parents separated. The young Son House was determined to become a Baptist preacher, and at age fifteen began his preaching career. Despite the church's firm stand against blues music and the sinful world which revolved around it, House nevertheless became attracted to it and taught himself guitar in his midtwenties, inspired by the work of Willie Wilson. He began playing alongside Charley Patton, Willie Brown, Robert Johnson, Fiddlin' Joe Martin, Leroy Williams, and Howlin' Wolf, around Robinsonville, Mississippi and north to Memphis, Tennessee until 1942.
After killing a man, allegedly in self-defense, he spent time on Parchman Farm in 1928 and 1929.
Son House recorded for Paramount Records in 1930 and for Alan Lomax from the Library of Congress in 1941 and 1942. He then faded from public view until the country blues revival in the 1960s when, after a long search of the Mississippi Delta region by Nick Perls, Dick Waterman and Phil Spero, he was "re-discovered" in June, 1964 in Rochester, New York where he had lived since 1943; House had been retired from the music business for many years, working for the New York Central Railroad, and was completely unaware of the international revival of enthusiasm for his early recordings. He subsequently toured extensively in the US and Europe and recorded for CBS records. Like Mississippi John Hurt he was welcomed into the music scene of the 1960s and played at Newport Folk Festival in 1964, the New York Folk Festival in July, 1965, and the October, 1967 European tour of the American Folk Festival along with Skip James and Bukka White. In the summer of 1970, House toured Europe once again, including an appearance at the Montreux Festival; a recording of his London concerts was released by Liberty Records.
Ill health plagued his later years and in 1974 he retired once again, and later moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he remained until his death from cancer of the larynx. He was buried at Mt. Hazel Cemetery on Lahser south of Seven Mile. Members of the Detroit Blues Society raised money through benefit concerts to put a fitting monument on his grave. He had been married five times.
Unlike some blues guitarists of the 1920s and 30s, House was not a virtuoso although there is still much that is technically impressive about his playing. He more than made up for his lack of conventional technique with his powerful and innovative style featuring very strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of a bottleneck, coupled with singing that owed more than a nod to the hollers of the chain gangs. The music of Son House, in contrast to that of, say, Blind Lemon Jefferson, was emphatically a dance music, meant to be heard in the noisy atmosphere of a barrelhouse or other dance hall. House was an important influence on not only Muddy Waters but also Robert Johnson, who would later take his music to new levels. It was House who, speaking to awe-struck young blues fans in the 1960s, spread the legend that Johnson had sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his musical powers. More recently, House's music has influenced rock groups such as the White Stripes, who covered his song Death Letter on their album De Stijl, and later performed it at the 2004 Grammy Awards.
Describing House's 1967 appearance at the De Montford Hall in Leicester, England, Bob Groom wrote in Blues World magazine,
It is difficult to describe the transformation that took place as this smiling, friendly man hunched over his guitar and launched himself, bodily it seemed, into his music. The blues possessed him like a 'lowdown shaking chill' and the spellbound audience saw the very incarnation of the blues as, head thrown back, he hollered and groaned the disturbing lyrics and flailed the guitar, snapping the strings back against the fingerboard to accentuate the agonized rhythm. Son's music is the centre of the blues experience and when he performs it is a corporate thing, audience and singer become as one.
Depot Blues
Son House Lyrics
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I said I declare I aint going to be bad no more
When I leave this time baby I'm going to hang crepe on your door
Look it you darling, what do you want me to do
Look it ya darling, what do you want me to do
I've done all I could honey, just don't get along with you
Look it here honey, please don't you dog me round
Mmmm I'm going to leave south end of town
I went in my room and I sat down and cried
Mmmm went in my room and I sat down and cried
I didn't have no blues, but I just wasn't satisfied
Look it here darling, what do you want me to do
Look it here little girl, what do you want me to do
I've done all I could do darling, just don't get along with you
Well, I'm going to be bad no more
Mmmm I'm not going to be bad no more
When I leave her I'm going to hang crepe on your door
I cried last night all on love before
Oooo, all on love before
I'm going to change my way of livin, and I won't have to cry no more
The sun going to shine my back door some day
Sun going to shine my back door some day
Oh the wind gonna rise and blow my blues away
In Depot Blues, Son House sings about a tumultuous relationship with a lover. He declares that he won't be "bad" anymore, and that he plans to "hang crepe" (a symbol of mourning) on her door when he leaves. He asks her what she wants him to do, stating that he's done all he could, but they just can't seem to get along. He pleas for her not to "dog" him around, and ultimately decides to leave the south end of the town. He reflects on how he sat in his room crying last night, even though he had no blues. He then declares once again that he won't be bad anymore and that he plans on changing his way of living so that he won't have to cry anymore. He ends the song with the hopeful promise that the sun will shine on his back door someday, and the wind will blow his blues away.
Line by Line Meaning
Mmmm, I'm going to be bad no more
I have decided to change my ways and leave my bad habits behind.
I said I declare I aint going to be bad no more
I am making a strong statement that I will not continue my bad habits.
When I leave this time baby I'm going to hang crepe on your door
I will be leaving for good this time and want you to know that I am sorry for the pain I have caused.
Look it you darling, what do you want me to do
I am asking you for guidance on how to please you and make our relationship work.
I've done all I could honey, just don't get along with you
Despite my best efforts, we are not compatible and cannot get along.
Now look it here baby, please don't dog me round
Please don't treat me poorly or unfairly.
Mmmm I'm going to leave south end of town
I am planning to move away from this area and start anew.
I went in my room and I sat down and cried
I had a moment of sadness where I needed to reflect on my life and emotions.
I didn't have no blues, but I just wasn't satisfied
Although I didn't feel sad, I was still unfulfilled in my life and relationships.
Look it here darling, what do you want me to do
I am still seeking guidance on how to improve our relationship and make you happy.
I've done all I could do darling, just don't get along with you
Again, we are not compatible and cannot make our relationship work despite my efforts.
Well, I'm going to be bad no more
I am reiterating my decision to leave my bad habits behind and make a positive change in my life.
When I leave her I'm going to hang crepe on your door
Again, I will be leaving for good this time and want you to know that I am sorry for how I treated you.
I cried last night all on love before
I had a moment of sadness and reflection on my past loves and heartbreaks.
I'm going to change my way of livin, and I won't have to cry no more
I am going to try to make a positive change in my life and relationships to avoid future heartbreak and sadness.
The sun going to shine my back door some day
I am hoping for a brighter future and a new beginning.
Sun going to shine my back door some day
Again, I am hoping for a better future and positive change.
Oh the wind gonna rise and blow my blues away
I am hoping that the troubles and hardships in my life will be lifted and taken away by the wind.
Writer(s): Eddie Son House Jr.
Contributed by Colton M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MyMoppet52
Son House singing his song, "Depot Blues" from "Library Of Congress: 1941-1942 Sessions". Son House (1902-1988) is considered to be one of the last of the old blues men. He played & wrote with Robert Johnson & has influenced several generations of blues musicians. Enjoy. A great short bio with personal info - it's not just the 'cut & dry' info: http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bi...
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