The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was an American blues band formed in Chicag… Read Full Bio ↴The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was an American blues band formed in Chicago, Il, in 1963 by harmonica player and singer Paul Butterfield. Known for combining electric Chicago blues with a rock urgency and for their pioneering jazz fusion performances and recordings, the band signed to Elektra Records after adding Mike Bloomfield as lead guitarist. Their original debut album was scrapped, then re-recorded after the addition of organist Mark Naftalin. Finally, their self-titled debut, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, was released in 1965. It had an immediate impact, serving as a wakeup call for a generation of musicians.

The band went on to record several successful albums and was popular on the late-1960s concert and festival circuit, with performances at the Fillmore West, in San Francisco; the Fillmore East, in New York City; the Monterey Pop Festival; and Woodstock. The band split in 1971.

Tollin' Bells
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, the big bell is tollin'
Trouble is heading north

Well, the big bell, it's tollin'
Trouble is heading north

Well, it's so my baby
And it let me here all alone

Well, my head is so heavy
When the sun starts sinkin' low

Well, my head ain't so heavy
When the sun starts sinkin' low

It put my soul on a wonder
Hoo, which way did my baby go?

Well, I heard a loud singing
Saw some slow marching
I heard a deep moaning
And, oh, that was my whole life
And these tears from my eyes
Keep on streamin' down

I keep crying for my baby
And I know she can't be found

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Paul Butterfield Blues Band's song Tollin' Bells speak of an impending trouble that is headed north. This is symbolized by the tolling of a large bell. The singer laments being left alone by his lover and his heavy head makes him wonder which way his lover went. The sun sinking low seems to make his burden lighter. However, the singer eventually hears some slow marching and loud singing which he realizes is the sound of his life coming to an end. This revelation brings forth a deep moaning from the singer and tears stream down his face as he cries for his lost love.

The song seems to be about loss and the inevitability of death. The tolling of the bell seems to be a warning that something bad is coming and the singer is left to ponder the meaning of his life. The slow marching and singing could symbolize the approach of death and the deep moaning the singer hears could be a lament for all the things he never got to do in life. The tears streaming down his face represent his sadness and regret, but also his love for the woman who left him.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, the big bell is tollin'
The sound of the bell is indicative of an upcoming trouble

Trouble is heading north
Trouble is on its way to the northern region

Well, the big bell, it's tollin'
The toll of the bell continues

Well, it's so my baby
The singer refers to their ex-lover as 'baby'

And it let me here all alone
The relationship ended, leaving the singer feeling deserted and alone

Well, my head is so heavy
The singer is weighed down with thoughts of their ex-lover

When the sun starts sinkin' low
The feeling is particularly strong in the evening

Well, my head ain't so heavy
The singer feels relieved when the sun starts to set

It put my soul on a wonder
The singer's soul is filled with a sense of uncertainty

Hoo, which way did my baby go?
The singer wonders where their ex-lover went

Well, I heard a loud singing
The singer hears some sort of joyful noise