Frank "Son" Seals (August 13, 1942-December 20, 2004) was an American blues… Read Full Bio ↴Frank "Son" Seals (August 13, 1942-December 20, 2004) was an American blues guitarist and singer.

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]

Jelly Jelly
Son Seals Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Jelly jelly jelly,
Jelly stays on my mind
Jelly jelly jelly,
Jelly stays on my mind
Jelly roll killed my mama
And drove my daddy stone blind
Now if your belly was a dresser woman,
You know I'd ramble all in your drawers

You know if your belly was a dresser woman,
Girl I'd ramble all in your drawers
You know I'd be trying to find myself something,
Lord to get my woman off
I saw her as she passed my window
I saw her but she didn't see me
You know I saw her as she passed my window
I saw her but she didn't see me
Everything about that woman now,
Is fine as anything can be
It's a down-right rotten,
And a low down dirty shame
You know it's a down-right rotten,
And a low down dirty shame

That you should leave me woman now,
Leave me for some other man

Overall Meaning

The song "Jelly, Jelly" by Son Seals is a classic blues tune that speaks about losing a loved one to the allure and addiction of jelly roll, a slang term for a type of sweet pastry but also a metaphor for drugs or alcohol. The repetition of the phrase "jelly stays on my mind" highlights the persistent presence of the addiction and how it has overtaken the singer's thoughts. The lyrics also reveal that the same addiction led to the death of his mother and the blindness of his father, possibly due to the consequences of drug or alcohol abuse.

The second stanza takes on a more sensual tone as the singer describes the desire to explore a woman's body, using the imagery of a dresser and drawers to depict the different parts of her anatomy. He is searching for something to satisfy his desire and to distract from the pain of his loss. The final stanza laments the woman leaving him for another man, adding another layer of heartache to the already heavy subject matter.

Overall, the song speaks to the struggles of addiction and the pain it can cause not only to the user but also to those around them. It also touches on themes of lust and heartbreak, showing the complexity of human relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Jelly jelly jelly,
Repetition of Jelly jelly jelly indicates the singer's obsession with something.

Jelly stays on my mind
The singer can't stop thinking about this thing that he's obsessed with.

Jelly roll killed my mama
The thing the singer is obsessed with is the 'jelly roll', which he blames for the death of his mother.

And drove my daddy stone blind
The jelly roll also caused severe harm to the singer's father.

Now if your belly was a dresser woman,
The singer imagines a woman whose belly is like a dresser, and the drawers represent different parts of her body.

You know I'd ramble all in your drawers
If the woman's belly was a dresser, the singer would explore every part of her body.

You know if your belly was a dresser woman,
The singer repeats the previous line to emphasize his desire.

Girl I'd ramble all in your drawers
The singer emphasizes his desire to explore every part of the woman's body.

You know I'd be trying to find myself something,
The singer wants to find something pleasurable for himself while exploring the woman's body.

Lord to get my woman off
The ultimate goal of the singer is to please the woman he desires.

I saw her as she passed my window
The singer has seen the woman he desires.

I saw her but she didn't see me
The woman has not noticed the singer's presence.

Everything about that woman now,
The woman has many positive qualities that the singer admires.

Is fine as anything can be
The woman is beautiful and desirable.

It's a down-right rotten,
The situation the singer is in is terrible and unfair.

And a low down dirty shame
The singer feels ashamed and humiliated by the woman's actions.

That you should leave me woman now,
The woman has left the singer for another man.