Michael Hill was born in 1953 in the Bronx, New York; he was drawn towards the blues through hearing Jimi Hendrix's playing. Here's what he said about writing song lyrics to Art Tipaldi (in Blues Revue, April/May 1997): "For me it's important that the lyrics have eloquence, grace, focus and clarity. I edit constantly and agonize over every line and word. It's hard work. The music comes easier than the lyrics. I can be practicing or walking when a groove can come to me. But when it comes to writing lyrics, the focus is always more intense. It's a matter of putting myself in that realm on a regular basis in a disciplined way: picking up the pen and getting to the paper every morning. Eventually it will get easier to get to the place where ideas flow. That's the discipline of writing I aspire to." Good to hear somebody taking the business of writing blues lyrics seriously. Too often these days the lyrics are relegated to the back row as a gap-filler between the guitar or harp displays... Michael Hill also supports the Black Rock Coalition, "supporting black musicians who want to perform original music in genres that are not traditionally associated with blacks" (I'm quoting from the Blues Revue article here). The Black Rock Coalition was formed by Greg Tate and Vernon Reid; the latter also wrote one of the songs on this page (Soldier's Blues).
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
This wry social comment features in the CD "Bloodlines" (recorded 1993) on the Alligator record label, as well as on the Alligator Records' 25th Anniversary Collection. The group consists of Michael Hill (guitars and vocals), Kevin Hill (brother of Michael, bass), Tony Lewis (drums) and Fred McFarlane (keyboards).
Can't Recall A Time (Hill & Lewis) I can't recall a time So many children had the blues Can't recall a time So many children had the blues This world's a painted picture They're growing up too fast The innocence of childhood Just a mem'ry from the past And I can't recall a time Lord I can't recall a time So many elders lived in fear Can't recall the time So many elders lived in fear Crime and disrespect Have them locked behind closed doors Stretching out fixed incomes While the cost of living soars And I can't recall the time My, my, my < guitar solo > Man abusing woman Adult abusing child Teachers trying to teach, hah With bullets whizzing by, no Can't recall a time It was so hard to keep the faith Listen now Most get less and less While just a few get more and more Time is getting tight The wolf is in the door And I can't recall a time My, my, my, my, my, my (spoken:) It's just hard to see so many people suffer so much... Hard to keep the faith... You see it... it's sad... I'll say it again, it's sad...) Most get less and less, while just a few get more and more Time is tight boy, the wolf is in the door And I can't recall a time So many children had the blues.
(by Vernon Reid). From the Alligator CD "Bloodlines".
Hah... Huh huh... Where I come from? Brothers who have escaped from the 'hood to the front American dream? Just hoping you get home alive... Hah, all good soldiers know what to expect Said all good soldiers know what to expect Listen: got to see you darling, may never see you again No no no Never lost a battle, can't seem to win the war Never lost a battle no no, can't seem to win the war Hah I just pray someone can tell me, what the hell we're fightin' for Listen now Old men fightin' on chairs, send the young ones off to die Old men fightin' on chairs, send the young ones off to die Hah you know what? Asked the captain to explain, and he could not tell me why No no no no no Listen: somethin' terrible in a whorehouse, his name was G. I. Joe I'm tellin' ya: somethin' terrible in a whorehouse, his name was G. I. Joe He had killed a bunch of children, he was off to kill some more I've got the soldier's blues And I really payed my dues Got the s-s-soldier, soldier's blues Really payed my dues I fight the enemy abroad And in my home town too I've got the soldier's blues And I really payed my dues Got the soldier, soldier, soldier's blues Really payed my dues Fight the enemy abroad And in my home town too Hah... try to send me to kill my family yon in mama Africa Got my children Killin' my brothers and sisters In Panama Lord knows it ain't right This no way's right (spoken:) And all those soldiers who did Vietnam Back in the world with nowhere to live Tired and weary Company -
A typical no-nonsense, big-city blues from the Alligator cd "New York State Of Soul" (1998).
THIS IS MY JOB (Hill) So cold and wet in the city He washes car windows in the night Tryin' to make a little change From the cars as they wait for the light People show such hostility They tell him to go find some work To them it's all some kind of joke But his eyes show how much jokes can hurt He tells them: you don't understand, but this is my job I may have nothing, I refuse to steal and rob I never imagined this could happen in my life But it has, and I'm tryin' to survive Walk around after midnight There's a whole population on the street Cardboard box for a pillow And the steam from the grating for heat Sometimes it is so overwhelming, It can wear down your sympathy But then you see someone holding on To a small piece of his dignity Saying: you don't understand, but this is my job I may have nothing, I refuse to steal and rob I never imagined this could happen in my life But it has, and I'm tryin' to survive (guitar solo) You don't understand, but this is my job I may have nothing, I refuse to steal and rob I never imagined this could happen in my life But it has, and I'm tryin' to survive Tryin' to survive, Lord Tryin' to survive Just tryin' to stay alive This is my job This is my job I refuse to steal and rob So washing car windows is my job
(Hill) From the Alligator CD "Bloodlines".
You tell me that you're too tired for lovin' baby,
But you're up til three AM talkin' on the phone
You tell me that you're too tired for lovin' baby,
But you're up til three AM talkin' on the phone
Guess if I really need some lovin' darling,
I have to go out and find it on my own
(that's what I'm gonna talk about to you, I'm tellin' you -)
You walk around the house like Godzilla baby,
But you get on the phone and you got a great big smile
You walk around the house like Godzilla darling,
But you get on that phone and you got a great big smile
Our love is turning to a wrong number darling
And I think I'm gonna have to hang up after a while
(but before I do I just need to know -)
Do we have a bad connection darling
Or have we just ran out of time
Has my call been interrupted baby
By another man on the line?
You walk around my house like Godzilla darling
Lord but you get on the phone and you got a great big smile
Our love is turning to a wrong number darling
And I think I have to hang up after a whle
(but before I do somebody got to help me - Fred, Fred, play the blues for me-)
(keyboard solo by Fred McFarlane)
Do we have a bad connection darling
Or did I just ran out of time
Has my call been interrupted baby
By another man on the line?
You stomp around the house like Godzilla woman
Hah, but you get on the phone and you got a great big smile
Our love is turning to a wrong number baby
And I think I have to hang up after a while
Lordy mama mama mama
From the Alligator CD "New York State Of Blues" (1998).
YOUNG FOLKS' BLUES (Hill) It used to be the grownups who played the blues They told me "Mike, you gotta pay a whole lotta dues" But it's a new world And now the children play They say "Hold the rock 'n' roll, they're playin' young folks' blues today" The latest little guy is rollin' and tumblin' They say he sings like Wolf, plays like Hubert Sumlin' He's a mother, his mam is the first to agree He's got the blues so bad, they wonder if he'll live to puberty Young folks' blues, they're playing young folks' blues I'll start my son when he's three, to pay his dues on MTV Young folks' blues, hey! I heard about a girl, child was pushin' eight They say she sings like Koko Taylor, plays like Bonnie Raitt You hear her troubles in every word she sings She knows a lot about love, for a girl who hasn't had her first fling We give a chance to the young folks, spreading the news Paying their respects to the heros of the blues They reach new people, they may help the blues to thrive And maybe some day our heroes will get paid by their live Yes they will The young folks' blues, I'm down with young folks' blues I'll start my son when he's three, to pay his dues on MTV Young folks' blues Young folks' blues Young folks' blues Better early than never I'm down with young folks' blues
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