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.
Mr. Pitiful
Taj Mahal Lyrics
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Baby, that's my name
They call me Mr. Pitiful
That's how I got my fame
But nobody seems to understand now
What makes a man feel so blue?
Oh, they call me Mr. Pitiful
'Cause I lost someone just like you
They call me Mr. Pitiful
Yes, everybody knows now
They call me Mr. Pitiful
Most everyplace I go now
But nobody seems to understand now
What makes a man sing such a sad song
Oh, when you lost everything
When you lost everything, yeah, yeah
How can I explain to you
Somebody actin' so very blue
How can I tell you about my thing
All the things we'll do
Yeah, Mr Pitiful
Baby, that's my name
They call me Mr. Pitiful
That's how I got my fame
But nobody seems to understand now
What makes a man feel so blue
They call me Mr. Pitiful
'Cause I lost someone just like you, yeah
Everything is going wrong
Everything I had till now, baby
Oh, I got to sing you a sad song
Oh, a sad song, oh, yeah
I gotta get back to you one more time
One more time, one more time, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
One more time, one more time
One more, one more, one more time, yeah yeah yeah yeah
In Taj Mahal's song "Mr. Pitiful," the singer laments being called by this nickname that denotes his pitiful state of being. He wonders why people don't understand what led him to feel so blue, and suggests that losing someone has something to do with it. He explains that being called "Mr. Pitiful" has brought him fame, and that people seem to recognize him and his sad songs everywhere he goes. The singer acknowledges that everything seems to be going wrong for him right now, and that he feels compelled to sing yet another sad song to express how he feels.
The lyrics to "Mr. Pitiful" evoke a sense of deep sadness and loneliness that are characteristic of the blues genre. The singer's nickname serves as a reminder of his struggles, failures, and heartbreaks, and the recognition he receives for it only reinforces his feelings of sorrow and pain. The song captures the essence of what it means to be pitiful and how that identity can shape one's sense of self and the way they interact with others. Ultimately, the song seems to suggest that the only way to deal with the pain of losing someone is to express it through music, to sing a sad song that speaks to others who have experienced the same kind of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
They call me Mr. Pitiful
My name is known as Mr. Pitiful
Baby, that's my name
I am known as Mr. Pitiful, it's my given name
They call me Mr. Pitiful
People refer to me as Mr. Pitiful
That's how I got my fame
It is because of this name that I have become famous
But nobody seems to understand now
No one seems to comprehend it now
What makes a man feel so blue?
What's the reason for a man being so melancholic?
Oh, they call me Mr. Pitiful
It's because of this name that people are aware of me being so sad
'Cause I lost someone just like you
I am in pain because I lost someone similar to you
Yes, everybody knows now
Everybody's aware of my name now
Most everyplace I go now
Most places I visit, people recognize me
What makes a man sing such a sad song
What is the cause of a man singing depressing songs?
Oh, when you lost everything
Oh, when you lose everything important to you
When you lost everything, yeah, yeah
When all of it is gone, yeah yeah
How can I explain to you
How can I make you understand
Somebody actin' so very blue
Someone feeling completely demoralized
How can I tell you about my thing
How can I describe to you my experience
All the things we'll do
All the things that were planned but can't be now
Everything is going wrong
Everything has taken the wrong route
Everything I had till now, baby
Everything that belonged to me until today, baby
Oh, I got to sing you a sad song
Oh, I have to sing you a sorrowful song
I gotta get back to you one more time
I have to return to you one more time
One more time, one more time
One more time, once again
One more, one more, one more time, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
One more time, one more time, one more time, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Contributed by Caleb R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MrMusicguyma
Taj does it up right, here. Yeah!
RaxOldies
Doin' Otis proud..........thanks Taj !!!