Blues in the Night
Whispers of Heartache: Unveiling the Dual Nature of Love
Lyrics
My mama done tol' me,
Advice from the speaker's mother, setting the context for the lyrics.
When I was in knee pants,
Reflecting on childhood ("knee pants") and the ongoing advice from the mother.
My mama done tol' me, Son!
A reminder from the mother about the deceptive nature of women.
A woman'll sweet talk
Describing how women can be charming and alluring with sweet talk.
And give ya the big eye;
Emphasizing the captivating gaze of a woman.
But when the sweet talkin's done,
Highlighting the fleeting nature of sweet talk, suggesting a shift in a woman's demeanor.
A woman's a two face
Characterizing a woman as having two faces, suggesting duplicity.
A worrisome thing
Describing a woman as a source of worry or concern.
Who'll leave ya t'sing
Warning that a woman may leave, leading to sorrowful singing of the blues.
The blues in the night
Expressing the inevitability of experiencing the blues in life.
Now the rain's a-fallin',
Describing the atmosphere with rain falling.
Hear the train a-callin'
Evoking the sound of a train in the distance.
Whoo-ee (my mama done tol' me)
Recalling the mother's advice amid the atmospheric elements.
Hear that lonesome whistle
Noticing the melancholic sound of a distant train whistle.
Blowin' `cross the trestle,
Emphasizing the sound of the train passing over a trestle.
Whoo-ee (my mama done tol' me)
Reiterating the mother's warning in the context of the train sounds.
A whoo-ee-duh-whoo-ee, ol' clickety clack's
Adding rhythmic elements to the train imagery with onomatopoeia.
A-echoin' back the blues in the night
Connecting the train sounds to the blues theme.
The evenin' breeze'll start the trees to cryin'
Describing the evening setting and its emotional impact.
And the moon'll hide its light
Depicting the moon hiding its light in response to the blues.
When you get the blues in the night
Expressing the emotional state of having the blues at night.
Take my word, the mockin' bird'll
Advising to trust the mockingbird's sad song as an indicator of trouble.
Sing the saddest kind o' song
Attributing sadness to the mockingbird's song, suggesting a shared understanding of hardship.
He knows things are wrong and he's right
Asserting that the mockingbird is correct in recognizing and expressing sorrow.
From Natchez to Mobile,
Referring to geographical locations, emphasizing the widespread nature of the blues.
From Memphis to St. Jo,
Expanding the geographical scope of experiencing the blues.
Wherever the four winds blow,
Highlighting the ubiquity of the blues, transcending geographical boundaries.
I been in some big towns,
Personal experience of being in big towns.
An' heard me some big talk,
Recalling encounters with boastful or arrogant speech in big towns.
But there is one thing I know
Asserting a universal truth about women having two faces and causing worry.
A woman's a two face,
Repeating the characterization of a woman as having two faces.
A worrisome thing
Reiterating the worrisome nature of women and the consequence of singing the blues.
Who'll leave ya t'sing the blues in the night.
Emphasizing the inevitability of singing the blues due to a woman's actions.
My mama was right,
Acknowledging the wisdom in the mother's earlier advice.
There's blues in the night.
Concluding with the affirmation that the blues are an inherent part of life.
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