The band then began to take on a life beyond the confines of the television screen, releasing an album, Briefcase Full of Blues, in 1978, and then having a Hollywood film, The Blues Brothers, created around its characters in 1980.
After the death of Belushi in 1982, the Blues Brothers have continued to perform with a rotation of guest singers and other band members. Aykroyd reunited the original band in 1988 for a world tour and again in 1998 for a sequel to the film, Blues Brothers 2000. Aykroyd and the band, occasionally joined by Belushi's brother Jim, make regular appearances at musical festivals worldwide.
Shot Gun Blues
The Blues Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every night I go to sleep, the blues fall down like rain
Takin' pills and cheap whiskey, just to try to ease the pain
It's hard to gamble when you lose every bet
Hard to save money when you're twenty years in debt
The blues is fallin', fallin' down on me like rain
I'm gonna take a shotgun now, people, and disconnect my brain
I made some mistakes, had some bad breaks
Now my mind don't work and my whole body aches
Blues is fallin', fallin' down on me like rain
My life is like water, just swirlin' down the drain
Tried standin' up, keep on fallin' down
Tried standin' up, keep on fallin' down
Everywhere I go the blues is all around
The Blues Brothers's "Shot Gun Blues" portrays the struggles of an individual battling with depression and mental health issues. The opening lines, "Every night I go to sleep, the blues fall down like rain," highlights the individual's consistent struggles with their emotions. The person's emotional pain has driven them to seek relief in pills and alcohol, as they cannot find happiness anywhere else. The lyrics, “Takin' pills and cheap whiskey, just to try to ease the pain,” suggest that the person is constantly trying to cope with their pain but is not successful in this endeavor.
The chorus of the song, where the individual considers suicide, underscores the severity of their situation. The individual is unable to toss away their addiction and the mental issues associated with it. They feel that the wrong decisions and setbacks had brought them here, and now their mind doesn't work, and their whole body aches. The person's emotional pain has driven them to consider ending their life by using a shotgun.
Overall, "Shot Gun Blues" highlights the severity of depression and how it can drive individuals to make drastic decisions like considering suicide. Apart from being a lamentation of the singer's battle with depression and addiction, it is also a cry for help. Through the song, one hopes to highlight the need for support, compassion, and understanding towards those who suffer from mental health issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Every night I go to sleep, the blues fall down like rain
The singer is filled with sadness every night and feels as if the sadness is raining down on them.
Takin' pills and cheap whiskey, just to try to ease the pain
The singer is struggling to cope with their sadness and is using substances to try and numb the pain.
It's hard to gamble when you lose every bet
The singer feels as if they have no luck and can never win.
Hard to save money when you're twenty years in debt
The singer is deep in financial trouble and cannot even save money.
The blues is fallin', fallin' down on me like rain
The singer is emphasizing how intense their sadness is and that it feels like it's constantly raining down on them.
I'm gonna take a shotgun now, people, and disconnect my brain
The singer is so distraught that they are considering ending their life.
I made some mistakes, had some bad breaks
The singer acknowledges that they have made some mistakes and had some bad luck.
Now my mind don't work and my whole body aches
The singer is so consumed by their sadness that it is affecting them both mentally and physically.
Blues is fallin', fallin' down on me like rain
The singer reiterates that their sadness is overwhelming and feels like it's constantly raining down on them.
My life is like water, just swirlin' down the drain
The singer feels as if their life is slipping away and going down the drain.
Tried standin' up, keep on fallin' down
The singer has tried to pick themselves up but has been unsuccessful and keeps falling.
Everywhere I go the blues is all around
The singer feels as if their sadness follows them everywhere and is constantly present.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONALD GILBERT WALSH, RICHARD DOUGLAS WALSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ronrottler2432
If Matt Guitar Murphy doesn’t blow you away with this track, you’re dead inside.
@jokersharley567
RIP Matt Guitar Murphy 🎸
@robertarjet1002
I met him (very briefly) when I was in college. I was wearing a "Why Be Normal" T-Shirt, and he told me he liked it. He seemed like a real nice guy.
@mariojutic6609
❤❤❤ AMEN TO THAT! ❤❤❤
@silhouettoofaman2935
How have I gone this long without hearing the Blues Brothers' other work? These guys are awesome!
@mathieuesf73
Silhouetto of a Man tommys
T'y
L
Y
Ty
@cameronhall4593
Mate I am literally the same
@wsjustice
Keep going down that rabbitt hole, brother. You won't be disappointed.
@ThomasPurcell
Wait until you see the movie :D
@chrisperrien7055
If you didn't do some coke back then, you might have missed them