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.
Empire State Express
Son House Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I leaned against the door
I went down to the station
I leaned against the door
You know I know the Empire State
Any time I hear her blow
Then I ask the depot agent
Oh depot agent
Please let me ride the blinds
He said I wouldnt mind it son
But this empire state aint mine
You know he said I have an Empire State
She rides on eastern
She rides on eastern
Eastern time
She runs on ester time
She is the rollingest baby
that runs on New York central line
Engineers
I said wasn't me an old farmer
And I trust all engineers
You know they took my women away
Yes the engineers blow the whistle
The farmer only rung the bell
You know my women is on board
And she is waving back farewell
Im going to tell you all
You on the train
You on the train
The train will do
And I'm gonna tell you all
what I know the train will do
It will take your women away
And chop back smoke as you
In Son House's song "Empire State Express," the singer tells of his experience at a train station where he hears the Empire State Express whistle blow. He approaches the depot agent, requesting to ride on the train, specifically the blind car. However, the depot agent declines, stating that the Empire State Express is not his train. Later, the singer mentions a woman who has been taken away by the engineers, as they blow their whistle and the farmer rings the bell. He warns listeners that the train has the power to take their women away and leave them behind in a cloud of smoke.
This song can be interpreted in different ways. The Empire State Express train and the woman taken by the engineers could symbolize the allure of success and the price one pays to achieve it. The train represents the fast-paced, competitive world that people strive to be a part of, while the woman could stand for one's personal life or relationships that are left behind in the pursuit of that success. The singer's warning about the train taking women away could also be a commentary on the negative impact of industrialization and the loss of traditional values and human connections.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down to the station
I visited the train station
I leaned against the door
I stood against the door of the station
You know I know the Empire State
I'm familiar with the Empire State train
Any time I hear her blow
Whenever I hear the train whistle blow
Then I ask the depot agent
So I inquire with the train station employee
Let me ride, let me ride the blind
To allow me to ride the train without a reserved seat
Oh depot agent
Hello, train station employee
Please let me ride the blinds
Please allow me to ride without a reserved seat
He said I wouldn't mind it son
The employee responds positively
But this empire state ain't mine
However, this train doesn't belong to this station
You know he said I have an Empire State
The employee informs that they own a different Empire State train
She rides on eastern
Running on Eastern Standard Time
She rides on eastern
Running on Eastern Standard Time
Eastern time
Running on Eastern Standard Time
She runs on ester time
The train runs on a tight schedule
She is the rollingest baby
The train is the most active and lively
that runs on New York central line
running on the central route of the New York train network.
Engineers
Referring to the people who operate the train
I said wasn't me an old farmer
I clarify that I am not a farmer
And I trust all engineers
I have faith in the train operators
You know they took my women away
The train has taken my loved one away
Yes the engineers blow the whistle
The train operators are the ones responsible for sounding the whistle
The farmer only rung the bell
The station employees, specifically the bell ringers, operate the bell
You know my women is on board
My partner is travelling on the train
And she is waving back farewell
They are waving goodbye to me from the train
I'm going to tell you all
I'm going to inform everyone listening
You on the train
Those of you onboard the train
The train will do
The train will suffice
And I'm gonna tell you all
I'm going to let you all know
what I know the train will do
What I know the train is capable of
It will take your women away
The train will transport your loved ones away
And chop back smoke as you
While producing the typical train smoke and noise
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JAMES, PKA JR HOUSE EDDIE, SON HOUSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
vicious peach
This is dark, dirty, nasty, crusty, and raw...it is absolutely perfect...
Hunter West
Son House has been my hero for years. While I was a 13-14 year old listening to the genius of this man, most of my "friends" were of course into the pop scene.. It hurts my soul to know folks dont care about our past and the amazing cultures that influenced literally everything... The history of music is the history of culture. But no matter what ethnicity you belong to, black or white or Hispanic or Asian...either way, we should know this history. People should know how the music they listen to today came around. I just hope for one day where the ones who truly deserve the credit and our admiration actually get it.. most of them are dead now. It's too late for some.. sad honestly...but sorry I'm not trying to bring down the vibe. I just love Son House
Austin T
So many thanks to Dan for the amazing job cleaning these up🙏
Roland Potter
Deep country blues!!
Elena Molinaro
Pure bliss 🥰 🌌
Filipe Anjo
Que demais! Lançamento phoda!
gram4neil
Thank you so very much! Incredible!
Glenn Morris
Legend.
Angie Mack Creative
Son House was inducted into the Paramount Plaza Walk of Fame in my hometown of Grafton WI. Just north of Milwaukee if you happen to pass through. It's where the Paramount Records recording studio and pressing plant were located.
Jayzee Shaslick
This is gold
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