Your Funeral And My Trial
Sonny Boy Williamson Lyrics


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Please come home to your daddy, and explain yourself to me
Because I and you are man and wife, tryin' to start a family
I'm beggin' you baby, cut out that off the wall jive
If you can't treat me no better, it gotta be your funeral and my trial

When I and you first got together, 't was on one Friday night
We spent two lovely hours together, and the world knows allright
I'm just beggin' you baby, please cut out that off the wall jive
You know you gotta treat me better, if you don't it gotta be your funeral and my trial

Alright... (solo)
The good Lord made the world and everything was in it
The way my baby love is some solid sentiment
She can love to heal the sick and she can love to raise the dead
You think I'm jokin' but you better be- lieve what I say




I'm beggin' you baby, cut out that off the wall jive
Yeh you gotta treat me better, or it gotta be your funeral and my trial

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sonny Boy Williamson's blues song, "Your Funeral And My Trial" are about a troubled relationship between a man and a woman. The man is pleading with the woman to come home and explain herself, as they are man and wife trying to start a family. He is asking her to stop whatever "off the wall jive" she is doing, and treat him better. If she can't do this, it will lead to her funeral and his trial.


The imagery of a funeral and trial suggests that the man will be the one held responsible for the end of the relationship, even though it was the woman who treated him poorly. This highlights the societal expectations that place blame on the man in a relationship even when it is not his fault. The solo in the middle of the song adds to the emotional intensity of the lyrics and showcases Sonny Boy Williamson's exceptional harmonica playing.


Overall, "Your Funeral And My Trial" is a poignant examination of a relationship in crisis and the struggles that can arise in trying to maintain a healthy partnership. The lyrics showcase Sonny Boy Williamson's talent for painting vivid images with words, as well as his understanding of human emotion and the complexities of relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

Please come home to your daddy, and explain yourself to me
Sonny Boy Williamson is asking his wife to come home and talk to him about her behavior.


Because I and you are man and wife, tryin' to start a family
He reminds her that they are married and trying to start a family together.


I'm beggin' you baby, cut out that off the wall jive
Sonny Boy Williamson is asking her to stop acting erratic and irrational.


If you can't treat me no better, it gotta be your funeral and my trial
He warns her that if she can't treat him better, it will result in the end of their relationship.


When I and you first got together, 't was on one Friday night
He reminisces about the first time they met.


We spent two lovely hours together, and the world knows allright
He fondly remembers the time they spent together and how it was a magical time.


You know you gotta treat me better, if you don't it gotta be your funeral and my trial
He reiterates the warning he has already given her about the future of their relationship.


The good Lord made the world and everything was in it
He acknowledges the power of the divine creator who made everything in the world.


The way my baby love is some solid sentiment
He speaks passionately about the way his wife loves him.


She can love to heal the sick and she can love to raise the dead
He sees the love of his wife as something powerful, capable of miracles.


You think I'm jokin' but you better be- lieve what I say
He warns his wife not to take what he says lightly.


Yeh you gotta treat me better, or it gotta be your funeral and my trial
He reminds his wife that the future of their relationship is in her hands, and she needs to treat him better if she wants it to survive.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Sonny Boy Williamson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Joan Eskins

This poor man died penniless but the music he left behind is priceless'

SoupDoggyDogg

Joan Eskins financially maybe he was poor but he was rich when it came to blowing that harmonica

2quundar

Jigov What? Please, read some books about bluesmen's life, or just watch to " Cadillac records" ( not 100% crappy, & right especially about nice suits & Cadillacs). It's not a shame to receive the money you earned. On the other hand, it is a shame not to be paid for his talent, and it is certain that these bluesmen are in this category. A starving artist is a dead artist.

2quundar

He was mean & evil ( read some from his pairs) & a great great artist. & he cared about his money, although he has never been paid enough for his work . Bluesmen are just common people. The genius comes from their astonishing talent ( & sometimes iron balls) to tell us what a common people is.

jenny_jenny_nc

Subliminal Origami Naw just a black man let down and not paid what he was owed. He travelled the world and gave to the universe. He was not always pleasant but he was a great man.

Tommy Barnes

Best posting ever!

7 More Replies...

MAs World

Ain’t nobody can play like that man 😊

Ken Copsey

The tone! No one sounds the same as Sonny Boy Williamson when they blow a harp.A master class in harmonica.

Stephanie Carr

This has to be one of the coolest, smoothest-sung threats of capital murder I have EVER heard! lol ....play that harp Sonny!!!😍😍😍

Lawrence of arabia

Was a two handed mouth instrument holding slayer.
Not sure why people disliked this, but I know this though, this guy had to be the hippest scrambeled egg & cheese with a country steak and sweet buttermilk biscuit down home harmonica player whom probably shut down a lot of other cats in his day outslaying one on one microphone house battles fo sho !!!

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