Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Derek Trucks took up the guitar at age 9, and it was quickly apparent that he was a child prodigy. He was playing with a band and touring within two years. His early repertoire was heavily blues-based, obviously inspired by The Allman Brothers Band, of which his uncle, drummer Butch Trucks, is a founding member. Older bluesmen like Howlin' Wolf, jazz musicians Miles Davis, Sun Ra, John Coltrane, Charlie Christian and later Wayne Shorter and many others, became an influence for Trucks a few years later. Eastern Music, mainly Indian Classical, also affected Trucks's musical development, primarily his slide guitar playing, which is often compared to that of Duane Allman but is also heavily influenced by sarod players like Ali Akbar Khan. In 2003, he was the youngest guitarist on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time, and has been hailed as one of the greatest slide guitarists since Duane Allman.
Trucks formed his first band at age 12, and played his first gigs with them as "Derek and the Dominators". Later, Atlanta's jazz and blues bassist Todd Smallie joined Trucks in 1994, and became the first member of what is now the current version of The Derek Trucks Band. When Trucks really set about assembling a lasting band, he was by his reckoning about 14 years old. Smallie, on bass, was the first to join him. As a result, Trucks feels that he's "kind of grown up with him." A year later in 1995, drummer Yonrico Scott completed the band's early rhythm section. The band released its self-titled debut album, The Derek Trucks Band, in 1997, and followed with Out of the Madness in 1999. Scott has been playing with Trucks for over 16 years as of 2008. According to Derek Trucks: "We've developed a kind of 'musical ESP'.. it's nice to have somebody that you don't have to look at...he's just right there with you."
Kofi Burbridge joined the band shortly thereafter, contributing to the band's sound as a multi-instrumentalist, with his versatility on keyboards, flute, and vocals. Like his brother, whom Trucks plays with in the Allman Brothers Band, bassist Oteil Burbridge, Kofi Burbridge's education was primarily rooted in classical and jazz music. In an interview upon the release of their 2002 album, Joyful Noise, Trucks laughingly commented, "Kofi Burbridge has been with us maybe 2-3 years, and he's one of the few musical geniuses that I've had the chance to work with, he's totally insane"... continuing, "I'm really anxious to see in the next few years to see where he takes this, because he's definitely a huge part of what's going on right now."
In 2002 the band's producers, Craig Street and John Snyder recommended singer Mike Mattison to the band. Mattison performed several shows with the band, and Trucks decided Mattison's soulful voice and calm stage presence completed the band's identity. Trucks said of Mattison, "He's got a huge range, so that helps us out a lot when we stretch into some of the different material we cover. It's like having three different vocalists onstage at times. It's a tough piece of the puzzle to find, you know -- a good singer who fits with what you're doing -- so we were very fortunate to hook up with Mike." Mattison had a previous band as well-- a vocal duo, called Scrapomatic, with Paul Olsen, a guitarist and vocalist, whom he still performs with at occasional gigs, including some opening sets for The Derek Trucks Band. The band's final member, Count M'Butu is the only band member that does not appear on every tour. M'Butu, the group's eldest member, plays a variety of African drums. Trucks mentions casually that he had known M'Butu for many years before he joined the Derek Trucks Band, as M'Butu was a regular musical fixture in Atlanta; one of the bastions of the Allman Brothers fan bases.
Trucks' guitar playing is unusual in a number of respects. He steadfastly avoids processing and effects, preferring to get the purest tone possible by connecting his guitar directly to his amplifier, a 1964 Fender Super Reverb. He modifies his tone with the controls on the guitar. He plays without the use of a plectrum (pick), using his fingers instead, plucking primarily with the thumb, index and middle fingers, but also using the ring finger on occasion. He developed his technique himself. His guitar is always tuned to 'Open E'. From the low to high string, (i.e., EBEG#Be) he slightly detunes his low E string (a technique he and Jimmy Herring developed while playing together). Open E is a normal tuning for slide players, as it allows them to form chords more easily, but over the years he has become a highly acclaimed straight lead player without switching to standard tuning (EADGBe).
In 2001, Trucks married singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi. The couple have two children: Charles Kahlil Trucks (born March 8, 2002), and Sophia Naima Trucks (born August 9, 2004). Charles is named for saxophonist Charlie Parker and guitarist Charlie Christian; his middle name is taken from author Khalil Gibran. The name Sophia has mystic overtones (meaning "Wisdom" in Greek), and the unusual middle name comes from the John Coltrane ballad, which Coltrane named after his first wife, Naima.
In 1999, Derek Trucks joined his uncle, drummer Butch Trucks, as a member of The Allman Brothers Band, while continuing to lead his own band. With the Allman Brothers Band he has performed on 2000's Peakin' at the Beacon, 2003's Hittin' the Note, 2003's live DVD At the Beacon Theatre, and 2004's One Way Out.
As of early 2006, Trucks is an accompanying guitarist in Eric Clapton's 2006-2007 touring band. In early 2006, Trucks lost equipment, as an equipment trailer was stolen. Some of the gear was recovered on May 18, 2006, as reported in the Columbia Records Derek Trucks Forum. Gear that was reported as recovered from a field outside Atlanta, GA includes Derek's "1965 BFSR, the amp he's been playing since he was a young boy; Derek's 1968 SFSR (one of the backup amps),the DTB's Hammond B-3, two Leslies, a Hohner E-7 Clavinet, and a few other minor items."
Drown In My Own Tears
The Derek Trucks Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I begin to realize
I've cried so much since you've been gone
Guess I'm gonna drown, drown in my own tears
I sit and cry just like a baby child
My pouring tears keep on runnin' wild
If you don't think, oh, that you'll be home soon
I know it's true into each life
Oh, some rain must surely fall
I'm so blue living here without you
It keeps on raining more and more and more and more
I know it's true into each life
Oh, some rain, oh, must surely fall
I'm so blue living here without you
It keeps on raining more and more and more and more
Why don't you think you better come on home now?
So I won't, won't be left here all alone
And if you don't think, oh, that you'll be home soon
Guess I'm gonna drown
Oh, don't let me drown
I wake in the morning I'm gonna drown
Everyday and every night
Sometime in the midnight hour
Everyday, every afternoon
Oh, please don't let me drown
No, don't let me drown
Oh, don't let me drown
Don't let me drown
Oh yeah
Talk to me, baby
Gonna bring in a moment to drown
Oh, in my own tears, yeah
The Derek Trucks Band's "Drown In My Own Tears" is a melancholic blues ballad that expresses the pain and heartache of a person who has lost their love. The song opens with the singer realizing that they have cried so much since their lover left, causing them to drown in their own tears. The imagery of drowning in tears depicts the overwhelming despair and hopelessness of the singer's situation.
The second verse reveals that the singer cries like a baby and their tears are uncontrollable, keeping on running wild. They express their longing for their lover to come back home, and if they do not return soon, they will surely drown in their own tears. The chorus repeats the phrase, "I know it's true into each life, oh, some rain must surely fall," emphasizing the idea that everyone goes through heartaches and struggles in life.
The bridge of the song pleads with the lover to come back home, not to leave the singer alone, and save them from drowning. The repetition of "everyday" and "every night" in the final verse implies that the singer's pain is unceasing and intense. The song ends with a guitar solo that underscores the sadness and despair of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
It brings a tear, oh, to my eyes
The sadness of your absence is so strong it makes me cry.
When I begin to realize
As I gain more awareness of your absence.
I've cried so much since you've been gone
The sadness of your absence is overwhelming me.
Guess I'm gonna drown, drown in my own tears
My sadness is so strong that it feels like I'm about to drown in my tears.
I sit and cry just like a baby child
My sadness makes me feel like a helpless baby.
My pouring tears keep on runnin' wild
My tears are flowing uncontrollably.
If you don't think, oh, that you'll be home soon
If you don't believe you'll return to me soon.
Guess I'm gonna drown, oh, in my own tears
My sadness is so strong that it feels like I'm about to drown in my tears.
I know it's true into each life
I understand that in everyone's life,
Oh, some rain must surely fall
There will be some form of sadness or difficulty.
I'm so blue living here without you
I feel so sad living without you.
It keeps on raining more and more and more and more
My sadness seems to be increasing with time.
Why don't you think you better come on home now?
Why don't you realize that you need to come back home now?
So I won't, won't be left here all alone
So I won't be alone and sad without you.
And if you don't think, oh, that you'll be home soon
And if you don't believe you'll return to me soon.
Guess I'm gonna drown
My sadness is so strong that it feels like I'm about to drown in my tears.
Oh, don't let me drown
Please help me out of this strong, overwhelming sadness.
I wake in the morning I'm gonna drown
I start my day already consumed by sadness and feeling like I'll drown.
Everyday and every night
Every moment of every day, including the long nights.
Sometime in the midnight hour
At times during the late night.
Everyday, every afternoon
Every moment of every day, including the long afternoons.
Oh, please don't let me drown
Please help me out of this strong, overwhelming sadness.
No, don't let me drown
Please help me out of this strong, overwhelming sadness.
Oh yeah
A statement of agreement, confirming the previous request.
Talk to me, baby
A request for emotional connection and communication from the addressee.
Gonna bring in a moment to drown
Feeling like the sadness will soon be too much to handle.
Oh, in my own tears, yeah
Feeling like the tears of sadness will be the cause of drowning.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Henry B. Glover
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikesilver885
When you lose someone you love this song fits. The blues
@ronmccullough709
love it!! cant believe i just recently found this song. give me chills everytime.
@mizzula1984
Whoa ! is right. That is a moving song and an even more moving version. I had to belt it out and I bet my neighbors just laughed and laughed. Felt really good though.
@joelane3250
Gotta love ol gregg almond 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
@mikefrance7498
This is a Ray Charles and Joe cocker classic.Great job!!!!
@Flock2x
this has a nice gospel feel to it
@sluggoyaco
Brings me back to Gregg and Duane. Perfect!!!!!!!
@Danonym495
Great singing by Gregg Allman and Derek sounds like Skydog on this track,
@briantaulbee6452
The first time I heard this version, I thought Duane had been reincarnated. I still say that. Derek Trucks. What else can you say?
@simpaulistic9795
best version....EVER <3