When I die, they'll bury the blues with me. But the blues will never die.
John Lee HookerRead
The blues tells a story. Every line of the blues has a meaning.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The blues genre conveys deep emotions and experiences through its lyrics.
In this quote, John Lee Hooker emphasizes the narrative quality of blues music, suggesting that every lyric is not just a string of words but a reflection of life experiences, struggles, and feelings. This highlights the storytelling aspect of the blues, where each line serves to communicate profound truths and emotions that resonate with listeners.
Themes
BluesStorytellingMusicEmotionMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
In a music class, when discussing the emotional impact of songs.
More from John Lee Hooker
All quotes →Like you and your woman ain't gettin' along and you're in love. You can't sleep at nights. Your mind is on her - on whatever. You know, that's the blues. You can't hug that money at night. You can't kiss it.
John Lee HookerRead
I don't play a lot of fancy guitar. I don't want to play it. The kind of guitar I want to play is mean, mean licks.
John Lee HookerRead
They wasn't gonna give you nothin'. I didn't care as long as they let me play my music. Cash on the spot... You cheat me and I'm gonna get me some money, too.
John Lee HookerRead
You can go to Europe, and there's no turnin' back - any parts of Europe. Wherever you are, there is no stop and go for the blues. The blues go but it don't stop.
John Lee HookerRead
I don't think about time. You're here when you're here. I think about today, staying in tune.
John Lee HookerRead
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