Mean Town Blues
Navigating the Tough Streets Alone: Johnny Winter's Mean Town Blues
Lyrics
Now my mother she done told me and my, ha, father done told me
Receiving advice from both mother and father about life.
Grandfather told me too
Advice passed down through generations, as even the grandfather has shared it.
Yeah, my mother she done told me and my father done told me
Reiteration of the advice received from both parents.
Grandfather told me too
Repetition for emphasis on the importance of the advice.
It's a mean old town to live in by yourself
Describing the town as difficult and challenging when living alone.
Yeah, I worked for a dollar
Expressing a low-paying job where saving money is difficult.
Could not, ha, save a lousy, could not save a dime
Highlighting the inability to save any money despite hard work.
You know I worked for a dollar
Reiteration of the struggles with saving money despite effort.
Could not, ha, save a lousy, man couldn't save a dime
Emphasizing the difficulty in saving any money.
People ain't nobody worried and there ain't nobody crying
Observing a lack of concern or empathy from others; no one is worried or crying.
Everybody's got their hands out trying to, get a hold on
Describing a situation where people are trying to take advantage of the speaker.
Trying to get some of my cash
Specifically, others are trying to get a hold of the speaker's money.
Everybody's got their hand out trying to a, get a hold on
Reiteration of people attempting to get a hold of the speaker's cash.
Trying to get some of my cash
Emphasizing the persistent attempts to access the speaker's money.
Smiling great big smiles, man, you keep on talking trash
Describing people smiling and talking negatively about the speaker.
So I packed up my suitcase and I, ha, moved on down the
Deciding to leave the town, perhaps due to the challenges faced.
Hit that lonesome road
Choosing to travel on a lonely road, indicating a solitary journey.
You know I packed up my suitcase and I, hit that lonesome
Reiteration of the decision to leave and embark on a lonesome journey.
I moved on down the road
Continuing the description of moving away from the town.
I been still trying to make it when the day goes down
Expressing ongoing efforts to succeed even when faced with challenges.
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