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.
Little Red Hen
Taj Mahal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't come round here much as you used to
Now, hone,y you long gone,
Baby, you long gone, oh, you long gone
Just like a turkey through the corn
Ole grey mule said to the ole grey hen
Honey, now tell me where that rooster of yours have been
Baby, like a turkey through the corn
Oh, that sweet gray goat say to that ole fat mule
You know people 'round here been talkin', tellin' me that you a fool
But they long gone, yes, they long gone, oh, they long gone
Honey, like a turkey through the corn
I been up North and I been down South an' I been to the Cas
I like the West and South the best
An I'll be long gone, yes, I'm long gone, I'm long gone
Honey, like a turkey through the corn
Tell me, baby, what's on your mind
I can see by your eyes that you ain't been cryin'
An' I been long gone, I been long gone, I been long gone
Honey, like a turkey through the corn
How you know the men don't like me 'cause I speak my mind
And the women crazy 'bout me 'cause I take my time
An I'm long gone, honey, I'm long gone, I'm long gone
Baby, just like a turkey through the corn
Well, li'l red hen said to lil'l red rooster
You don't come round here much as you used to
Now, hone,y you long gone,
Baby, you long gone, oh, you long gone
Just like a turkey through the corn
Well, you can take my potatoes up out that ground
Can put 'em in my oven, turn your damper down
Mama, now you know I'm long gone, honey, I'm long gone
I'm long gone, baby, like a turkey through the corn
In Taj Mahal's song Little Red Hen, the lyrics seem to be about lost love and absence. The singer, the little red hen, is questioning the absence of the little red rooster from her life. The refrain "you long gone, like a turkey through the corn" emphasizes the idea of being lost or absent in the same way the turkey is gone, wandering through the endless corn. The little red hen is wondering where the rooster has been and is mourning the loss of his presence in her life. The second verse shifts to a conversation between the ole grey mule and the ole grey hen, where they discuss the absence of the rooster. Finally, the last verse is the singer talking about being out and about, traveling from north to south, and how absence has become a part of her life.
One interesting fact about Little Red Hen is that it was first recorded in 1924 by a blues artist named George "Bullet" Williams, but the version by Taj Mahal is one of the most famous covers of the song. Another interesting fact is that the song was likely derived from a children's story about a red hen, who asks her farm animal friends for help in making bread but is left to do it all on her own. The lyrics in Taj Mahal's version may be a play on words, referencing the fable but also using it to create a metaphor for lost love. The song has also been covered by other artists like Johnny Cash and James Cotton.
Additionally, Little Red Hen is a classic example of the traditional blues form, using call and response as well as the AAB lyric structure commonly found in blues songs. The instrumentation of the song includes acoustic guitar and a harmonica, which further adds to the traditional blues sound. The song has been used in several movies and TV shows, including the film Zombieland and the TV series Supernatural.
Chords:
The chords for Little Red Hen can vary depending on the version being played, but the song typically uses basic blues chords like A7, D7, and E7.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, li'l red hen said to lil'l red rooster
The small red hen spoke to the small red rooster
You don't come round here much as you used to
You don't visit me as often as you used to
Now, hone,y you long gone,
Now, honey, you have been gone for a long time,
Baby, you long gone, oh, you long gone
Baby, you have been gone for a long time, oh, you have been gone for a long time
Just like a turkey through the corn
You are as elusive as a turkey running through the cornfields
Ole grey mule said to the ole grey hen
The old grey mule spoke to the old grey hen
Honey, now tell me where that rooster of yours have been
Tell me, honey, where has your rooster been?
She said, he long gone, say, he long gone, oh, he long gone
She replied, he has been gone for a long time, he has been gone for a long time, oh, he has been gone for a long time
Baby, like a turkey through the corn
He is as difficult to find as a turkey running through the cornfields
Oh, that sweet gray goat say to that ole fat mule
The sweet grey goat said to the old fat mule
You know people 'round here been talkin', tellin' me that you a fool
You know people have been talking around here, telling me that you are a fool
But they long gone, yes, they long gone, oh, they long gone
But they have been gone for a long time, yes, they have been gone for a long time, oh, they have been gone for a long time
Honey, like a turkey through the corn
They are nowhere to be found like a turkey running through the cornfields
I been up North and I been down South an' I been to the Cas
I have traveled to the north and south and I have been to Casablanca
I like the West and South the best
I prefer the West and South regions the most
An I'll be long gone, yes, I'm long gone, I'm long gone
And I will be gone for a long time, yes, I am gone for a long time, I am gone for a long time
Honey, like a turkey through the corn
I will be elusive like a turkey running through the cornfields
Tell me, baby, what's on your mind
Tell me, baby, what are you thinking about?
I can see by your eyes that you ain't been cryin'
I can tell from your eyes that you haven't been crying
An' I been long gone, I been long gone, I been long gone
And I have been gone for a long time, I have been gone for a long time, I have been gone for a long time
Honey, like a turkey through the corn
I have been elusive like a turkey running through the cornfields
How you know the men don't like me 'cause I speak my mind
You know that men don't like me because I speak my mind
And the women crazy 'bout me 'cause I take my time
And the women are crazy about me because I take my time
An I'm long gone, honey, I'm long gone, I'm long gone
And I am gone for a long time, honey, I am gone for a long time, I am gone for a long time
Baby, just like a turkey through the corn
I am just as elusive as a turkey running through the cornfields
Well, li'l red hen said to lil'l red rooster
The small red hen spoke to the small red rooster
You don't come round here much as you used to
You don't visit me as often as you used to
Now, hone,y you long gone,
Now, honey, you have been gone for a long time,
Baby, you long gone, oh, you long gone
Baby, you have been gone for a long time, oh, you have been gone for a long time
Just like a turkey through the corn
You are as elusive as a turkey running through the cornfields
Well, you can take my potatoes up out that ground
You can dig up my potatoes from the ground
Can put 'em in my oven, turn your damper down
You can put them in my oven and turn the heat down
Mama, now you know I'm long gone, honey, I'm long gone
Mama, you know I am gone for a long time, honey, I am gone for a long time
I'm long gone, baby, like a turkey through the corn
I have been gone for a long time, baby, like a turkey running through the cornfields
Contributed by Amelia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.