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Sweet Home Chicago Lyrics
Oh baby don't you want to go
Oh baby don't you want to go
Back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
Oh baby don't you want to go
Oh baby don't you want to go
Back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
Now one and one is two
two and two is four
I'm heavy loaded baby
I'm booked I gotta go
Cryin baby
honey don't you want to go
back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
Now two and two is four
four and two is six
You gonna keep monkeyin round here friend-boy
you gonna get your business all in a trick
But I'm cryin baby
honey don't you wanna go
Back to the land of California
to my sweet home chicago
Now six and two is eight
eight and two is ten
Friend-boy she trick you one time
she sure gonna do it again
But I'm cryin hey hey
baby don't you want to go
back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
I'm goin to california
from there to Des Moines Iowa
Somebody will tell me that you
need my help someday
cryin hey hey
baby don't you want to go
back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
Oh baby don't you want to go
Back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
Oh baby don't you want to go
Back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
two and two is four
I'm heavy loaded baby
I'm booked I gotta go
honey don't you want to go
back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
four and two is six
You gonna keep monkeyin round here friend-boy
you gonna get your business all in a trick
honey don't you wanna go
Back to the land of California
to my sweet home chicago
eight and two is ten
Friend-boy she trick you one time
she sure gonna do it again
baby don't you want to go
back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
from there to Des Moines Iowa
Somebody will tell me that you
need my help someday
baby don't you want to go
back to the land of california
to my sweet home chicago
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this song is my favourite johnson song. i dont no what it is about it, it just seems right to listen to. its just a perfect blues song, and im lucky to have been blessed with knowledge of robert johnson. unlike it seems, most people on this website. serisously, if you havnt heard this song listen to it.
Chicago actually lies in Illinois, not in California. This probably means Robert had not yet been to Chicago prior to the recording of this song. But it i think California could also be a metaphor, 'the land of california' could be an alternative way of saying: 'that place of great riches'.
Oh yeah check out this great site with a lot of lyrics and information about blues songs and blues in general: http://blueslyrics.tripod.com
i think the california/chicago line has more to do with him being a rambler. he is sad because he cannot change who he is and he is always going to have to go
As far as I know, the California line isn't anything abstarct or symbolic. Johnson had an aunt that lived in Port Chicago, California where he would visit. I think he's just saying he want to go back there bc he feels at home there. I don't think he ever meant to suggest Chicago, Illinois.