After college, Mahal moved to Los Angeles and formed the group Rising Sons with Ry Cooder in 1964. The group signed with Columbia Records and released one single and recorded another album which was not released by Columbia until 1992. Taj, frustrated with the mixed reaction to his music quit the group and went solo. Still with Columbia, he released a well received, self titled album in 1968, and based on its success released a second album, Natch'l Blues that same year. Two very different records - Giant Step, with his electric band, and solo De Ole Folks at Home - were released in 1969 together as a double album. This firmly established Taj as an American blues original. The double album The Real Thing, captured him live at this time, with a horn section.
He has received two Grammy awards in the category "Best Contemporary Blues Album", the first in 1997 for Señor Blues, and again in 2000 for Shoutin' in Key. He has performed on various film soundtracks including Sounder and Blues Brothers 2000, in which he also appeared.
Dust My Broom
Taj Mahal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I believe I'll
Dust my broom
I'm gettin' up soon in the mornin'
I believe I'll dust my broom
I quit the best girl I'm lovin'
Now my friends can get in my room
I'm gonna write a letter, telephone every town I know
If I don't find her in Mississippi
She be in East Monroe, I know
And I don't want no woman
Wants every downtown man she meets
No, I don't want no woman
Wants every downtown man she meets
Man, she's a no-good
Doney
They shouldn't allow her on the street, yeah
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I ain't gonna leave my baby
And break up my happy home
The lyrics of Taj Mahal's "Dust My Broom" reflect a classic theme in blues music; the singer is singing about a troubled relationship that he is about to end. He's clearly hurt but also determined to move on. The opening lines "I'm gettin' up soon in the mornin' / I believe I'll dust my broom" signify his readiness to leave his lover behind and move on to a new phase of his life. The phrase "dust my broom" is a blues metaphor for hitting the road, leaving behind a bad situation and starting anew.
The second stanza suggests that the singer is looking for his lost love. He mentions that he's going to "write a letter, telephone every town I know" to find her. The fact that he says "every town I know" indicates that he has tried to find her already and failed. He's now taking drastic measures to track her down. He believes that she may be in East Monroe, but even if he can't find her, he's still ready to move on.
In the final stanza, the singer expresses his fear of being alone. He says that he won't leave his baby and break up his happy home. He's clearly struggling with the idea of leaving his lover behind, despite her infidelities. The song's overall message is that moving on can be hard but it's necessary to find happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gettin' up soon in the mornin'
I plan to wake up early in the morning
I believe I'll Dust my broom
I plan to clean and leave this place soon
I quit the best girl I'm lovin'
I ended a relationship with the woman I love the most
Now my friends can get in my room
I am no longer committed to someone and am open to spending time with friends
I'm gonna write a letter, telephone every town I know
I will try to reach out to anyone who may know the whereabouts of my lost love
If I don't find her in Mississippi She be in East Monroe, I know
I am convinced that if she is not in Mississippi, she will be in East Monroe
And I don't want no woman Wants every downtown man she meets
I don't want a promiscuous woman who is flirty with every man she meets
No, I don't want no woman Wants every downtown man she meets
I am emphasizing that the mentioned woman's behaviour is not what I am looking for
Man, she's a no-good Doney They shouldn't allow her on the street, yeah
I am expressing my frustration towards the woman and disapproving of her behaviour
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I have a feeling that my time is running out
I ain't gonna leave my baby And break up my happy home
I am committed to not leaving my significant other and ruining our happy home
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Royalty Network, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Elmore, Robert Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind