Blues in the Night
Whispers of Two-Faced Love: Eva Cassidy's Blues in the Night Meaning
Lyrics
My mama done tol' me
Her mother advised her
When I was in pigtails
Reflecting on her childhood
My mama done tol' me so
Reiteration of maternal advice
A man's gonna sweet talk
Men will use charming words
Give you the big eye
Flattery and seduction
But when the sweet talk is done
Warning about deceptive intentions
A man is a two-face
Describing a deceitful man
A worrisome thing who'll leave you
Problematic and unreliable
Singing the blues in the night
Resulting in heartache and sorrow
Now you know the rain is fallin'
Setting a somber atmosphere
Hear that train callin' whooee
Evoking a distant train sound
My mama done tol' me
Reiteration of maternal advice
Oh that lonesome whistle
Loneliness emphasized by a train whistle
Howlin' cross the trestle
Train sound intensifies the feeling
My mama done tol' me
Recalling maternal guidance
Awhooee ahwhooee
Imitating a mournful sound
Clicketyclacks echoin' back
Repetition of train sounds
The blues in the night
Connection of train sounds to nighttime sadness
The evening breeze will start the trees to cryin'
Nature reflects emotional distress
And the moonlight hides its light
Night conceals the pain
When you get the blues in the night
Suffering from the blues
Oh take my word the mockingbird will sing
Symbolic mention of a mockingbird's sorrow
His saddest saddest kind of song
Expressing the depth of sadness
He knows things are wrong and he's right
Acknowledging the correctness of the bird's lament
From Natchez to Mobile from Memphis to St. Joe
Referencing various locations
Wherever the four winds blow
Wherever fate takes you
Yeah I've been to the big towns
Experiencing city life
And I heard me some big talk too
Encountering boastful talk
But when the big talk is done
Deceptive nature of grand promises
A man is a two-face
Describing a duplicitous man
A worrisome thing leave you
Cause for worry and distress
Singing oh the blues in the night
Resulting in singing the blues
(Scat)
Non-lexical vocal improvisation
Comment