He was born in 1942 in Osceola, Arkansas where his father, Jim "Son" Seals, owned a small club. He began performing professionally by the age of 13, first as a drummer and later as a guitarist. In 1959, he formed his own band which performed locally and he also toured with Albert King.[1]
In 1971, he moved to Chicago. His career took off after he was discovered by Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records at the Flamingo Club in Chicago's South Side. His debut, Son Seals, was released in 1973. The album included "Your Love Is Like a Cancer" and "Hot Sauce". Seals followed up with 1976's Midnight Son and 1978's Live and Burning. He continued releasing albums throughout the next two decades. He received the W.C. Handy Award, an honor for best blues recording of the year, in 1985, 1987, and 2001.
Author Andrew Vachss was a friend of Seals, and used his influence to promote Seals' music. Vachss gave Seals several cameo appearances in his novels[2] and co-wrote songs with him for his 2000 album, Lettin' Go.[3] Vachss dedicated the novel Mask Market to Seals' memory.[4]
Son had a host of troubles to deal with over his life. He survived all but one of his 14 siblings; he himself was shot twice in the face by his ex-wife, which required extensive surgeries. One of his legs was amputated, due to complications from diabetes. He lost belongings in a fire that destroyed his home while he was away performing live, and several of his prize guitars were stolen from his home. [5]
The band Phish performed Son's song "Funky Bitch" throughout their career and brought him on stage on multiple occasions, turning a whole new generation on to his music.
Seals died from complications of diabetes; he was survived by his sister and fourteen children.[6]
I Think You're Fooling Me
Son Seals Lyrics
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Just to get myself a beer
They said "If you're waitin' for your old lady
She's already been here!"
I said "No, no, man
She's home cookin' for the kids!"
The whole place started laughin'
Son, you get a load of this:
I think you're foolin' me
I think you're foolin' me
Hey baby
I think you're foolin' me
Now you say you got a part-time job
Well it sure seems funny
You're workin' every evenin'
I ain't never seen no money
And when you get home
You say you're tired and need your rest
Your blouse buttoned crooked woman
And you're hair's in a mess
I think you're foolin' me
I think you're foolin' me
Now hey baby
I think you're foolin' me
Now you get up in the mornin'
You don't talk to me, you just run
Say you're goin' down to the Tupperware party
Where the girls are havin' fun
You leave at 9 in the morning
Come back at 12 at night
I don't need no Ph.D., woman
To know somethin' just ain't right
I think you're foolin' me
I think you're foolin' me
Now hey baby
I think you're foolin' me
The lyrics to Son Seals's song "I Think You're Fooling Me" seem to be telling a story about a woman who is lying to her partner. The singer of the song goes to the tavern to get a beer and is told that his partner has already been there. When he denies it, the patrons of the tavern start laughing at him, suggesting that it's a common occurrence. The singer then goes on to describe how his partner doesn't seem to be truthful about her job or where she goes during the day. He notices that despite her working every evening, there is no money to show for it. Furthermore, she comes back at night with her blouse buttoned crooked and her hair in a mess, suggesting she may be doing something she shouldn't be doing. Lastly, the singer notes that his partner leaves for a Tupperware party in the morning but doesn't come home until midnight, implying that she's doing something else instead.
Throughout the song, Son Seals uses the repetition of the chorus "I think you're fooling me" to hammer home the singer's realization that his partner is not telling the truth. The song is a powerful example of the blues genre and the way it deals with themes such as relationship troubles and infidelity. The lyrics are straight-to-the-point, revealing the singer's situation without much metaphor or figurative language. The song paints a clear picture of a relationship under strain, where one person is lying, and the other is trying to make sense of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down to the tavern
I went to the tavern to get a beer
Just to get myself a beer
The purpose of my visit to the tavern was to buy some beer.
They said "If you're waitin' for your old lady
She's already been here!"
I was informed that my wife was already at the tavern if I was looking for her.
I said "No, no, man
She's home cookin' for the kids!"
I refuted the claim and said that my wife is at home cooking for the kids.
The whole place started laughin'
Son, you get a load of this:
The people in the tavern laughed upon hearing my response.
I think you're foolin' me
I think you're foolin' me
Hey baby
I think you're foolin' me
I suspect that my partner is deceiving me in some way.
Now you say you got a part-time job
Well it sure seems funny
You're workin' every evenin'
I ain't never seen no money
My partner claims to have a part-time job, but I am suspicious since I have never seen any money and they work every evening.
And when you get home
You say you're tired and need your rest
Your blouse buttoned crooked woman
And you're hair's in a mess
Upon arriving home, my partner appears disheveled and claims to be tired, but their appearance suggests that they have been up to something else.
Now you get up in the mornin'
You don't talk to me, you just run
Say you're goin' down to the Tupperware party
Where the girls are havin' fun
My partner leaves the house early in the morning, without saying goodbye and claims to be going to a Tupperware party where women are having fun.
You leave at 9 in the morning
Come back at 12 at night
I don't need no Ph.D., woman
To know somethin' just ain't right
My partner arrives home late at night after leaving early in the morning. I know something is not right, despite not having a PhD in psychology.
I think you're foolin' me
I think you're foolin' me
Now hey baby
I think you're foolin' me
I have a strong suspicion that my partner is playing me for a fool in multiple aspects of our life together.
Contributed by Tristan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.