Blues in the Night
Midnight Confessions: Unveiling the Heartache in 'Blues in the Night'
Lyrics
My mama done told me
Advice from the speaker's mother about life and relationships.
When I was in pig tails
Reflecting on childhood innocence and simplicity.
My mama done told me
Reiteration of maternal advice, emphasizing its importance.
Hon', a man's gonna sweet talk
Warning about men who use sweet talk to deceive.
And give you the big eye
Describing the deceptive charm of a man's gaze.
But when the sweet talkin's done
Highlighting the fleeting nature of sweet talk.
A man is a two face, a worrisome thing
Expressing distrust in men who have a dual personality.
Who'll leave you singin'
Consequence of being deceived, leading to singing the blues.
The blues in the night
Emphasizing the theme of experiencing sadness and regret.
Now the rain is fallin'
Setting the scene with rain falling and a train in the background.
Hear the train a callin', whoo-ee
Adding a dramatic effect to the train's sound.
(My mama done told me)
Reiteration of the maternal warning amidst the surroundings.
Hear that lonesome whistle
Describing the forlorn sound of a distant train whistle.
Blowin' cross the trestle, whoo-ee
Highlighting the haunting sound of the train blowing across the trestle.
(My mama done told me)
Reemphasizing the maternal warning with a sense of urgency.
A whoo-ee-duh-whoo-ee, clickety clacks
Imitating the rhythmic sound of a moving train.
Echoin' back the blues in the night
Connecting the sound of the train to the blues experienced.
The evening breeze will start the trees to cryin'
Depicting a melancholic atmosphere where nature echoes sorrow.
And the moonlight hides his light
Symbolizing the concealment of pain in the darkness.
When you get the blues in the night
Reiterating the theme of experiencing the blues at night.
Take my word, the mockin' bird will
Using the mockingbird as a metaphor for singing sad songs.
Sing the saddest kinda song
Describing the sorrowful nature of the mockingbird's song.
He knows things are wrong and he's right
Attributing correctness to the mockingbird's understanding of sorrow.
Whoo-ee, whoo-ee
Expressing emotional distress with vocalizations.
From Natchez to Mobile
Referring to various locations, indicating a wide range of experiences.
From Memphis to St. Joe
Further expanding the geographic scope of the speaker's experiences.
Wherever the four winds blow
Emphasizing the ubiquity of the blues wherever life takes the speaker.
I been in some big towns
Recalling experiences in significant and large cities.
I heard me some big talk
Referencing encounters with boastful individuals in these cities.
But there is one thing I know
Stating a universal truth about men and their deceptive nature.
A man is a two face, a worrisome thing
Reiterating the warning about two-faced men causing blues.
Who'll leave you to sing the blues in the night
Summing up the consequences of trusting such men.
Whoo-ee, whoo-ee
Concluding with acknowledgment of the mother's wisdom.
My mama was right, there's blues in the night
Affirmation of the presence of blues in the night as warned by the mother.
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