Kenny Neal (born in 1957) hails from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His father, Raful Neal, is a blues harpist who played a.o. with Buddy Guy. Kenny Neal, guitarist, harmonica player, singer and songwriter has emerged in the 1990s as one of the best performers of contemporary Louisiana "swamp" blues.
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
This song from the CD "Devil Child" was written by Neal and Bob Greenlee.
I'm finally workin' up, I finally understand I don't really mind, I'm just another man But you don't care, that's one thing I know that's true So what's a man to you? Any fool will do You chewed me up, you spit me out Like I was a sweet You used me up, you threw me out I'm back here on the street But you don't care, whoa what I'm gonna do So what's your man to you? Any fool will do (guitar solo) So many fools before me, so many yet to come Any one of them thinkin', I'm the only one But you don't care, whoa whoa who you're lyin' to So what's a man to you? Any fool will do I'm finally workin' up, I finally understand I don't really matter, I'm just another man But you don't care, whoa you lyin' too So what's a man to you? Any fool will do Any fool will do You don't care Any fool will do
This song can be found on Kenny's second CD: "Devil Child", Alligator ALCD 4774 from 1989. Written by Neal and his band members Jim Payne (drummer) and Bob Greenlee (bass).
He's like a bad check, always comin' back Yeah he's like a bad check baby, always comin' back You're my woman baby, he's got to face the fact The word is on the street, your lover's back in town The phone's been ringin', and I know somethin' is goin' down If you love me baby, you won't let him come around (guitar solo) I worked so hard to get your love He's not gonna take it away If he comes to find you He just gonna have to pay I don't know where I don't know when He's like a bad check bouncing back again If he shows his face, he'll get a big surprise I'm gonna put him in his place, he's got to realize He'll never have you baby, no matter how hard he tries He's like a bad check, his account is overdrawn Yeah he's like a bad check baby, his account is overdrawn There's gonna be hell to pay, yeah if he don't move on
Along with "Morning After" this is one of two Langston Hughes "blues poems" that Kenny Neal recorded on the CD "Walking on Fire". This one is from the 1920s. In the "Collected Poems", it looks like this:
Cause you don't love me
Is awful, awful hard.
Gypsy done showed me
My bad luck card.
There ain't no good left
In this world for me.
Gypsy done tole me -
Unlucky as can be.
I don't know what
Po' weary me can do.
Gypsy says I'd kill my self
If I was you.
Like "Morning After", Kenny plays acoustic guitar and harmonica on this short (2 minutes) song.
Cause you don't love me, oh it's awful hard Cause you don't love me, yes it's awful hard I say gypsy done showed me, showed me my bad luck card Now there ain't no good left, in this world for me Now there ain't no good left, in this world for me Gypsy done tole me, how unlucky I can be I don't know, what poor worried me can do I don't know, what poor worried me can do Gypsy say I'd kill myself, oh if I was you
Just what we always wanted: The recipe for a blues song!
This swinging number is from the CD "Walking on Fire", from 1991 (Alligator Records).
Blues Stew (Neal, Greenlee, Payne) Little bit of heartache, a little bit of pain A little bit of sunshine, a little rain Stick it in a pot, then you make a rue That's all you need to do, when you makin' a blues stew A little bit of harp, a little guitar Throw in a bass, and give me twelve bars Stir it in a pot, that's all you got to do That's the recipe y'all, when you make a blues stew Well a pitch o' Muddy Water a little Jimmy Reed a pound o' Howlin' Wolf Satisfaction guaranteed Stir it in a pot, you use some spice and stew That's all you gotta do, when you make a blues stew You take a good woman And a man who do her wrong You put it all together Then you got a blues song Stir it in a pot, and you let it simmer on through That's all you need to do, when you makin' a blues stew Let's make it now...
From the CD "Devil Child" and written by Neal, Jim Payne and Bob Greenlee, an uptempo blues with New Orleans rhythm.
Well you got someone else to give your lovin' too I'm seeing red and I'm feelin' blue But oh baby I'm hip to you You can't have your cake woman, and eat it too It's just as plain as night and day You can't keep on baby, treatin' me this way Whoa baby, just won't do You can't have your cake woman and eat it too Whoa babe, it just won't do You bit off more than you can chew You can't have your cake woman, and eat it too (guitar solo) You take my money and you give it away You don't come back home 'til the break of day Oh baby, it just won't do You can't have your cake woman, and eat it too I can't stand what you're tryin' to do I can't be number one if you wanna have two Oh baby, I'm hip to you You can't have your cake woman, and eat it too Whoa babe, no it just won't do You bit off more than you can chew You can't have your cake woman, and eat it too
From the CD "Walking on Fire", this is a catchy-but-soulful song about life on the road.
I Been Missing You, Too (Neal & Greenlee) Woke up this morning, in my hotel room I saw a face on the wall, a picture of you I remember what you told me baby, the night I left home You told me that you'd miss me, when you're all alone I been missin' you I've been missin' you too Just last night, after my last show Sittin' in the corner, all alone Me and my guitar, pickin' the blues Thinkin' of home, thinkin' of you I been missin' you I've been missin' you too I been missin' you I've been missin' you too Now I'm headed back South, and it won't be long I been countin' the days, since I've been gone As we pass a house, and a little farm I can't wait to have you baby, in my arms Cause I been missin' you I've been missin' you too I been missin' you I've been missin' you too I been missin' you baby
From the CD "Walking on Fire" (Alligator, 1991), this is a poem by the African-American poet Langston Hughes (1902-1967), set to music by Kenny Neal ("Bad Luck Card" is another one from that CD). It was originally published in the 1950s.
Langston Hughes has written many blues lyrics during his writing career; he often employed the standard "A-A-B" scheme of the blues, the same subject matter, at times only slightly more "literary" than the blues songs that were commercially recorded. So it's only natural to sing this poem as Kenny did, on acoustic guitar and harmonica, in the classical country blues style.
There is a large volume, The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes", edited by Arnold Rampersad and David Hoessel (associate editor), published by Alfred A. Knopf (1995) where you can find this poem as well as the great majority of his oeuvre, including many blues- and jazz-inspired poems. For comparison, here is Morning After as it was published:
I was so sick last night I
Didn't hardly know my mind.
So sick last night I
Didn't know my mind.
I drunk some bad licker that
Almost made me blind.
Had a dream last night I
Thought I was in hell.
I drempt last night I
Thought I was in hell.
Woke up and looked around me -
Babe, your mouth was open like a well.
I said, Baby! Baby!
Please don't snore so loud.
Baby! Please!
Please don't snore so loud.
You jest a little bit o' woman but you
Sound like a great big crowd.
Thanks to Kenny Neal for bringing to my attention this fascinating writer, who was unknown to me before I heard "Walking on Fire"!
Hear part of this song (RealAudio)
Morning After (Hughes & Neal) One, two, three, and... So sick last night, I didn't hardly know my mind So sick last night, I didn't know my mind I had a drink of bad licker, almost made me blind I had a dream, I thought I was in hell Yeah I had a dream, thought I was in hell But baby when I looked around, your mouth was open like a well I said baby baby, please don't snore so loud Say baby baby, please don't snore so loud Say you're just a little bit o' woman, you sound like a great big crowd
From the CD "Walking on Fire" (Alligator, 1991).
Things Got To Get Better (Neal & Greenlee) Well I thought I hit the big time, but I hit the bottom first Well I thought I hit the big time, but I hit the bottom first Well you know things has got to get better, it can't get no worse I thought I was movin' up, and my own woman let me down I thought I was movin' up, and my own woman let me down I thought I was gettin' on, found myself spinnin' round I let a lot o' money, sift through my hand Yeh I let a lot o' money, sift through my hand You know I ain't got a dime, and now I'm a broken man I thought I hit the big time, I hit the bottom first Yeah I thought I hit the big time, I hit the bottom first You know things has got to get better, whoa it can't get no worse Lawd lawd what I'm gonna do?
from the CD: "Devil Child", Alligator ALCD 4774 from 1989. Written by Neal and his band members Jim Payne (drummer) and Bob Greenlee (bass),
I hear you talkin', don't hear a word you say Yeah I hear you talkin', don't hear a word you say You just yack yack yack, gonna drive your man away You're like a beehive baby with all the honey pulled out You're like a beehive baby with all your honey pulled out You just buzz buzz buzz, that's what you're all about Like the Mississippi river, always flowin' South Like the Mississippi river, always flowin' South You just talk talk talk, always runnin' your mouth (guitar solo) You're like the garbage man baby, always talkin' trash Yeah you're like the garbage man always talkin' trash If I could sell it by the word, I'd never run out of cash I hear you talkin' but I don't hear a word you say Yeah I hear you talkin' but don't hear a word you say You just yack yack yack, you're gonna drive your man, your man away yack yack yack yack yack yack you jus' yack yack yack you jus' yack yack yack You're gonna drive your man away
Blues Lyrics On Line by 
. Please
read the small print.