A friend once told me that blues music was nothing but songs about a good man feeling bad. Said he was a good man feeling good and he didn't want to hear the blues. I disagree with that statement, at least in part. While there's more than a little bit of truth to the statement, the blues is so much more than that. For starters, somehow it feels better to sing about being melancholy than it does to simply talk about it - try it. Somehow the singing about it is really overcoming it and putting it behind you.
If you have any trouble getting your head/mind wrapped around that concept, not to worry - the lesson/pattern will be repeated. The blues is about repetition. Fine, don't listen - then I'll have to say it again. For those of you still wondering what I'm talking about, imagine any of the following scenarios:
1) A man or a woman troubled by:
a) a car that keeps breaking down
b) Man drinks too much, has no job
c) Woman spends too much, complains a lot
Mind you I just pulled all of the above things out of thin air, not trying to offend anyone here, but let us imagine that our blues singer would lament over any or all of those things. I'll do the same thing with some on-the-spot-created lyrics here, keeping a tune in mind and hopefully maintaining at least some poetic meter:
Try to start my car, don't know what's wrong with it
Try start my car, don't know what's wrong with it
Get me a sputter or two, but then the motor just up and quit
Got a big junkyard, only a mile away
Yes there a big junkyard, only a mile away
But to push my car there gonna take me half the day
Ever been there? Hasn't everyone? What the hell? When I turn my key in the ignition, the motor is supposed to start. Not today - well, it started up...only to quit. I'm a little disappointed, so I entertain thoughts of taking the car to the junkyard, leaving it there for someone else to deal with - but then reality sets in and I realize that I'd have to push the car there. Oh Lord, I got them blues...'bout this car.
Why? It's messin' up my day.
Now take the unemployed dude with a bad habit - which might have a thing or two to do with his having no job (obvi)
Done told him once, won't say it again
Man got no job an he stank like gin
Said I told him once won't say it again...
Look man, your woman has told you before that she isn't happy with your drinking and not having a job - but you don't listen. You're still drinkin' and you still have no job. Oh Lord, she got them blues. Sooner or later, you're gonna have 'em too. She shouldn't have to tell you twice man, once should be enough - but it isn't.
Just listen would you? It won't take long before someone says, "One more time..." - but it won't be once more, more likely two or three more times - which is cool, because someone out there probably isn't paying attention. Shit need reviewed. That's what I'm talkin' about. You'll wonder what they talkin' 'bout - don't worry, they'll tell you. Because it feels good to sing about it, they'll tell you again too. Righteous. Tell it.
What about the woman who spends and complains? Thought you'd never ask, check it out:
Well here come my baby in her brand new Caddy, but she out of cash, come home to daddy
Baby flat broke nothin' good to say, got her pretty hand out for my take home pay
Ten, twenty dollar for my girl today kiss my cheek but then she drive away
Aw man, here she comes - driving up in her brand new car that I bought her. I think I'm glad to see her - but she doesn't look happy. What's wrong baby? Money? You need money? Here baby, here's some money...hey wait, where you goin'?
...or something like that. Any and all of those things would be a real drag to go through, not much fun to talk about, but if someone is singing about those things, it becomes soothing. If indeed the blues were nothing but songs about a good man feeling bad, people wouldn't be dancing in blues clubs. You wouldn't see a smile in the place. Nah man, the blues is about overcoming anyone and anything, any place that gives you the blues - it's gonna get better, it always does...always will. Dig?
No comments:
Post a Comment