Although blinded by eye cancer at the tender age of one, Jeff picked up his first guitar when he was three years-old and defied the odds and became a gifted and successful artist. He developed his own unique style of playing the guitar while it lay flat on his lap. Jeff quickly became a local guitar legend in his own right with his virtuosity. The group played around small Toronto-area clubs for a few years before eventually signing with BMG Canada and Arista Records for the rest of the world, and releasing their debut album See The Light in 1988, which featured the top charting hits "Angel Eyes" and "See The Light".
The Jeff Healey Band played and recorded Blues/Blues Rock-infused music along with many original-flavored covers. The band officially released five studio albums and one live recording including the sophomore Hell To Pay (1990), Feel This (1992), Cover To Cover (1995), Get Me Some (2000), and Live At Montreux 1999 (2005). There have also been some recent unofficial compilation releases without the consent of the artists.
Jeff and his band also performed a cameo role in the Patrick Swayze movie "Roadhouse" and they are featured in its official soundtrack.
The group split up in the late 2000, but Jeff continued performing as a solo artist and would later front Jeff Healey & The Jazz Wizards playing trumpet. He died on March 2, 2008 after a long battle with lung cancer, and is survived by his wife, Cristie, and two children.
Yer Blues
The Jeff Healey Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why
In the morning wanna die
In the evening wanna die
If I ain't dead already
My mother was of the sky
My father was of the earth
But I am of the universe
And you know what it's worth
I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why
The eagle picks my eye
The worm he licks my bone
I feel so suicidal
Just like Dylan's Mr. Jones
Lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why
Black cloud crossed my mind
Blue mist round my soul
Feel so suicidal
Even hate my rock and roll
Wanna die yeah wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why
The lyrics to "Yer Blues" by The Jeff Healey Band convey a sense of overwhelming loneliness and despair. The singer expresses a desire to die, noting that if they are not already dead, the reason why is because of a deep sense of isolation. The repeated phrase "wanna die" underscores the seriousness of these emotions, and the image of the eagle picking their eye and the worm licking their bone paints a bleak picture of their physical and emotional state.
The singer also reflects on their place in the world, noting that while their mother was of the sky and their father of the earth, they themselves are of the universe. This line suggests a feeling of displacement and a lack of connection to their surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, I'm lonely wanna die
I am feeling incredibly lonely and hopeless to the point where I wish for death.
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why
I am in such pain that it feels like death would be preferable, and the girl I'm singing to knows why.
In the morning wanna die
In the evening wanna die
My feelings of hopelessness and despair are so constant that I feel this way both in the morning and the evening.
My mother was of the sky
My father was of the earth
But I am of the universe
And you know what it's worth
While my parents came from the natural world, I feel like I am connected to something larger and more meaningful, but it's unclear what that means exactly.
The eagle picks my eye
The worm he licks my bone
I feel so suicidal
Just like Dylan's Mr. Jones
I feel like I am under attack from all sides, with my very soul being consumed by darkness. It feels like I am like the character from a song by Bob Dylan who is also in despair.
Black cloud crossed my mind
Blue mist round my soul
Feel so suicidal
Even hate my rock and roll
I am consumed by darkness and hatred, and even the music that used to bring me joy now only adds to my pain.
Wanna die yeah wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why
I am so filled with agony that I can't imagine continuing to live, and the girl I'm singing to knows exactly why I feel this way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN WINSTON LENNON, PAUL JAMES MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
Yes I'm lonely wanna die
Yes I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
In the morning wanna die
In the evening wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
My mother was of the sky
My father was of the earth
But I am of the universe
And you know what it's worth
I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
The eagle picks my eye
The worm he licks my bones
I feel so suicidal
Just like Dylan's Mr. Jones
Lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
Black cloud crossed my mind
Blue mist round my soul
Feel so suicidal
Even hate my rock and roll
Wanna die yeah wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
Zahn Foster
God dang, he does this song justice.
Icarus432hz
Just realized he dropped down to D. I love Jeff Healey man, perhaps the heaviest Blues Rock guitarist of all time. So underrated.
MultiCappie
What a terrific version.
johnny zell
Yes I'm lonely wanna die
Yes I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
In the morning wanna die
In the evening wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
My mother was of the sky
My father was of the earth
But I am of the universe
And you know what it's worth
I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
The eagle picks my eye
The worm he licks my bones
I feel so suicidal
Just like Dylan's Mr. Jones
Lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
Black cloud crossed my mind
Blue mist round my soul
Feel so suicidal
Even hate my rock and roll
Wanna die yeah wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.
Danny Ware
killer...both ways...song/performance
Lee Overton
****in 'A' WHAT A BAND WHAT A PLAYER....ALL OF THEM
Terry Yates
Gone waaaaay too soon.
Francois Froge
💝💝💝
Wesley Lail
Anybody get this message check out live peace in Toronto version buy plastic Ono band. Eric Clapton on that one as well. Worth checking out
Francois Froge
♫♫♫