Forbert signed a recording contract with Nemperor in 1978, and they released his debut album, Alive on Arrival, that same year. His song "Romeo's Tune", although "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard" on the sleeve of Forbert's second album Jackrabbit Slim (released in 1979), is not about Supremes singer Ballard who died in 1976. "Forbert admits that Ballard became a timely connection for "Romeo's Tune", written about a girl from Meridian. "That seemed like such bad news to me and such sad news. She wasn't really taken care of by the music business, which is not a new story". At around this time critics hailed Forbert as "The new Bob Dylan" because of a similar vocal timbre and thoughtful songwriting. The front cover of Jackrabbit Slim encourages such comparisons with its simplicity: a black and white photo of Steve Forbert playing a well-worn Martin acoustic guitar with a capo on it, his shirt tinted green. The record was recorded in Nashville and produced by John Simon who had worked with The Band.
After many successful years, Forbert sought out new inspiration and found it when he relocated to Nashville in 1985. Forbert's tribute to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time, was nominated for a 2004 Grammy in the best traditional folk category. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame.
Recent albums include Strange Names & New Sensations (2007), The Place And The Time (2009), and Over With You (2012).
www.steveforbert.com
No Use Running From The Blues
Steve Forbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take your drugs of every kind
Try your luck with liquor
Try your luck with beer and wine
[Chorus:]
You can try
Try it any way you choose
But it's no use runnin' from the blues
You tried to throw a party
And the invitations read
All your friends invited
But the blues showed up instead
[Chorus]
You've flown down to Jamaica
And you walked on off the plane
Blues stepped up to greet ya
And he smiled and shook your hand
[Chorus]
It ain't no superstition, child
The blues is really real
Get yourself together
Got to deal with how you feel
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Steve Forbert's song No Use Running From The Blues can be interpreted as a warning against trying to escape from one's problems through external means such as drugs or alcohol. The song suggests that no matter how hard one tries, they can't escape from the blues, which is a metaphor for sadness, depression or any sort of emotional pain. The singer acknowledges that people might try various ways to alleviate their pain, such as taking pills, drinking alcohol, or even going on a vacation, but at the end of the day, they can't run away from their problems.
The chorus repeats the phrase "it's no use running from the blues" as a reminder of the futility of trying to escape. The second verse further emphasizes the point by describing a failed attempt to throw a party and escape from the blues. The invitees were all there, but the blues ended up showing up instead. The third verse talks about flying down to Jamaica, perhaps as a form of escape, but once again, the blues metaphorically greets the singer with a smile and a handshake, indicating that it's impossible to escape from one's problems. The song ends with the singer advising listeners to deal with how they feel and get themselves together.
Line by Line Meaning
Try your pills and powders
Experiment with all kinds of drugs and substances.
Take your drugs of every kind
Take as many types of drugs and substances as you like.
Try your luck with liquor
See if alcohol can help you forget your problems.
Try your luck with beer and wine
See if drinking alcohol can make you feel better.
[Chorus:] You can try...
No matter what you do, you cannot escape the blues.
You tried to throw a party
You attempted to have a fun gathering with friends.
And the invitations read
The invitations were sent out.
All your friends invited
All your friends were asked to attend.
But the blues showed up instead
However, the feeling of sadness still lingered.
[Chorus]
No matter what you do, you cannot escape the blues.
You've flown down to Jamaica
You have traveled to another country for a change of scenery.
And you walked on off the plane
You got off the plane and set foot in Jamaica.
Blues stepped up to greet ya
Despite being in Jamaica, you still feel the blues.
And he smiled and shook your hand
The blues is personified as a person greeting you.
[Chorus]
No matter what you do, you cannot escape the blues.
It ain't no superstition, child
The blues is not a superstition or a myth, but a true feeling.
The blues is really real
The feeling of sadness is a real and tangible emotion.
Get yourself together
Pull yourself together and face the blues.
Got to deal with how you feel
You have to confront and process your emotions to move forward.
[Chorus]
No matter what you do, you cannot escape the blues.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVE FORBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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