Here is the All-Music Guide's page on John Lee.
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
John Lee Hooker recorded this song in 1968 in New York. It's on the CD "Tantalizing with the Blues" from MCA.
Sittin' down here thinkin', I don't wanna go to Vietnam I'm sittin' down here thinkin', I don't wanna go to Vietnam I have all these troubles at home, I don't wanna go to Vietnam I read the news every day, I read about Vietnam I read the news every day, I read about Vietnam I got so much friends in Vietnam, I might not never see them no more Sittin' here thinkin', I don't wanna go to Vietnam Sittin' here thinkin' thinkin' thinkin', I don't wanna go to Vietnam You men in the street have so much trouble of their own, why they wanna fight in Vietnam Have mercy... Lord have mercy, don't let me go to Vietnam Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, don't let me go to Vietnam I have my wife and my family, I don't wanna go to Vietnam We got so much trouble at home, we don't need to go to Vietnam Yeah yeah there's a whole lot of trouble right here at home, don't need to go to Vietnam We oughta stay at home, stay out of trouble I don't wanna go I don't wanna go... Vietnam...
A 1966 recording on Chess. From the Vogue/Chess re-issue CD "House of the Blues".
I couldn't believe, I couldn't believe you'd let me down I just couldn't believe, I couldn't believe you would let me down I've been too good to you baby, you hurt me with what you did My friend tried to tell me You didn't mean me no good I didn't believe a word he said I couldn't believe it, whoo I couldn't believe you would let me down I done lost everything that I had baby I can't believe you would let me down You goes downtown To the judge You tell the judge Everything you got, give it to me You looked up at me Hit the road Jack And don't come back no more I couldn't believe you let me down baby I'm leavin' now baby Done lost my home My brand new car baby I know, I know another man Gonna move in But I can't believe Treatin' me the way you did (guitar solo) Now baby Looka here baby How could you treat me the way you did baby I just couldn't believe, I couldn't believe you would let me down Good as I been to you baby I'm goin' now baby All I, All I got, all I got, is on my back I've gotta go now baby I better go now baby, baby I just couldn't believe, mmmm ooo...aah.. yeah yeah... aye baby
A 1966 recording on Chess. From the Vogue/Chess re-issue CD "House of the Blues".
I'll never trust your love again I'll never, never trust your love again You broke my heart in two baby I'll never trust your love again Seven days a week I worked for you baby I gave you all I could afford Seven days a week I worked for you I gave you all I could afford I'd come home in the evening time All you did was fuss and fight (instrument break) I know I'll never, I'll never be the same no more Never never be the same no more You keep me worried and bothered baby And troubled all the time baby I'm gonna leave... (fade)
The subtitle to this song might lead you to expect some sort of tribute to Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, but apart from the introduction, John Lee Hooker doesn't refer to them. Instead it develops into a song against drug abuse, in John Lee's typical, almost hypnotic style.
The song was recorded in 1970 in San Francisco with a.o. Steve Miller (guitar) in the backing group. It's on a CD "Tantalizing With the Blues" from MCA.
Here is a Real audio file of the song's beginning.
Looka here I'm gon' tell you a story About two friends Whom I known And the whole world knowed 'em The one and only Jimi Hendrix And Janis Joplin Who passed on From the needle They O.D.'d Ah what a big loss To this wonderful world 's Sad... Dope addicts, dope addicts You better watch yourself Dope addicts, dope addicts You got to watch yourself You one of these days, one of these days You might pass on Stop shootin' no needle And stop swallowin' that LSD Stop shootin' no needles And stop swallowin' in those pills That needle's too heavy Your heart can't take it none Hey hey I know, so many young folks They're hooked, they're doomed to die So many young folks They're hooked, they're doomed to die You better try and kick it But you can't last long this way Yeah... Drug addict, drug addict You better wake up and get wise Drug addict, drug addict You better wake up and get wise Your days are numbered, your days are numbered Your day you just don't know You better try and kick it You better try and kick it That needle is too heavy for ya It's too heavy Hey, it's too heavy It's too heavy for your heart, for your heart Hey hey It's too heavy It's too heavy You better kick it right now I know you better kick it I know it's hard You better suffer and kick it You better suffer and kick it You got to suffer some To kick Hey it's too havy for you (...fades)
Recorded in New York, 1968 (from the MCA CD: "Tantalizing with the Blues"). John Lee Hooker leaves us in no doubt about his woman: she is mean. I guess that's why he sings it about thirty times in this song...
Mean woman mean woman Mean woman wonder why you're so mean Mean woman mean woman Mean woman why you're so mean And that's why I'm gonna leave you mean woman Mean woman you're so mean Looka here now mean woman I'm afraid to lay down at night mean woman You sleep with a ice pick in your hand mean woman I'm afraid to lay down at night with you mean woman You sleep with a ice pick in your hand all night long That's why I'm gonna leave you mean woman Because you fights all in your sleep mean woman You know you do mean woman Looka here now I work hard every day mean woman Until the evenin' sun go down I work for you mean woman every day Until the evenin' sun go down I come home in the evenin' time My supper is never done mean woman Talkin' 'bout you mean woman (solo) I'm gonna leave you mean woman I'm even afraid to lay down with you at night mean woman I'm gonna leave you mean woman I'm even afraid to lay down with you at night Because when you go to bed at night mean woman You got a ice pick in your hand Looka here now Gonna leave you mean woman Goodbye mean woman Goodbye mean woman Goodbye now mean woman Goodbye goodbye goodbye goodbye goodbye goodbye goodbye mean woman Goodbye mean woman I'm so afraid of you mean woman Goodbye mean woman
Recorded in New York in 1968. It's from the CD "Tantalizing with the Blues" (MCA).
(spoken:) Mini skirts and tight dresses You know they're so tight they can hardly wiggle Hah, and big legs too you know... Everywhere I go, there's a mini skirt there Everywhere I go, there's a mini skirt there Tight skirts, tight skirts, everywhere Oh yeah I go walkin' in the park, there's a mini skirt there I go walkin' in the park, there's a mini skirt there Mini skirt, tight skirts, everywhere Yeah yeah... mini skirt! mini skirt! way up above the knee! Way up - above the knee - yeah yeah, yeah yeah, above... I go to strollin' in the park, I see mini skirts out there I go out in the park, I see mini skirts out there Mini skirts, mini skirts, everywhere Yeah! Looka here now! I go walking down the avenue, I see out there, mini skirts Way up 'bove the knee Mini skirts, mini skirts, everywhere Yeah! I'm talkin' 'bout... mini skirt And tight... skirt And big legs Strollin' down the avenue I can't stand it...
This song was found on a ROOTS CD sampler. See also Little Willie Littlefield for a similar song (credited to Amos Milburn)
ONE BOURBON, ONE SCOTCH, ONE BEER (John Lee Hooker) One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer Hey mister bartender come here I want another drink and I want it now My baby she gone, she been gone two night I ain't seen my baby since night before last One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer (spoken:) And then I sit there Gettin' high Mellow Knocked out Feeling good And by the time I look on the wall At the old clock on the wall By that time It was ten thirty daddy I looked down the bar At the bartender He said "Now what do you want Johnny?" One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer Well my baby she gone, she been gone two night I ain't seen my baby since night before last I wanna get drunk till I'm off of my mind One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer (spoken:) And I sat there Gettin' high Stoned Knocked out And by the time I looked on the wall At the old clock again And by that time 'T was a quarter to two Last call For alcohol I said "Hey mister bartender!" "Well what do you want?" One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer ... (fade)
A moving, moody song from 1966. From the Vogue/Chess re-issue CD "House of the Blues".
I cover the waterfront Watchin' the ship go by I could see everybody's baby But I couldn't see mine I could see the ships pullin' in To the harbor I could see the people Meeting their loved one Shakin' hand I sat there So all alone Coverin' the waterfront And after a while All the people Left the harbor And headed for their destination All the ships Left the harbor And headed for their next destination I sat there Coverin' the waterfront And after a while I looked down the ocean As far as I could see - in the fog I saw a ship It headed this way Comin' out the foam It must be my baby Comin' down And after a while The ship pulled into the harbor Rollin' slow So triple (?) And my baby Stepped off board I was still Coverin' the waterfront Said "Johnny, Our ship had trouble - with the fog And that's why we're so late So late Comin' home Comin' down"
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