In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
It's me comin' at you
From the land beyond
I'm up here in heaven
Where I belong
I'm gonna tell you my story
About a man who's down in hell
He ain't up here anyway
As far as I can tell
This man stole my name
He stole my soul
They're so holy up here
They don't understand
But he even tried to steal my jellyroll
So here it is, my story
Here it is from the top
My name is Sonny Boy Williamson
I come from Jackson, Tennessee
Being a man named Sonny Boy
Might bother you, it never bothered me none
My mother loved me, my wife did too
I had a dream and the dream come true
I wrote some songs that the people knew
Like "Good Morning School Girl" and "Jackson Blue"
Around the time of the great migration
The blues run up the river, spread across the nation
I run up with 'em caused a great sensation
Selling biscuits on the radio in Chicago
Out on the Westside to see the sights
Turned a corner, see my name in lights
Said I'd been playin' there for fourteen nights
This I had to see
This big old ugly cat was on the stage
Twice my size, about my age
Played six songs, five were mine
If I said he was good I'd be lyin'
Then he says "What's my name?"
The crowd says "Sonny Boy!"
He says "What's my name?"
They go "Sonny Boy!"
And he says "What's my name?"
I said "Hold it,
My name is Sonny Boy Williamson
The one from Jackson, Tennessee
Don't know who you are
Or where you come from
But one thing I do know
You ain't me, son"
I looked in his eyes
And they was red
As was the rangtang hair dye
All over his head
Scared me so bad I ran outside
Looked for a place to hide
Ran 'round a corner
Smack into a robbery
They were shootin' each other
But they hit me
Next thing I know I came up here
In the middle of my thirty-fourth year
Now I'm the only bluesman in heaven
It makes me kind of sad
I know only one
Died so young
Didn't have the time
To do nothing bad
As for Sonny Boy Two
The man who stole my name
He went on to glory, fortune and fame
He's the one who went to England
Tried to teach those English boys the blues
He said what do I have to lose?
Well, it killed him
Yeah, it killed him
I'm the only bluesman in heaven
And I'm lonely as can be
Lord, if you're listening
Hear my plea
Send down a bluesman
To play the blues with me
This is Sonny Boy Williamson
Number One
That's my story
I'm done
From the land beyond
I'm up here in heaven
Where I belong
I'm gonna tell you my story
About a man who's down in hell
He ain't up here anyway
As far as I can tell
This man stole my name
He stole my soul
They're so holy up here
They don't understand
But he even tried to steal my jellyroll
So here it is, my story
Here it is from the top
My name is Sonny Boy Williamson
I come from Jackson, Tennessee
Being a man named Sonny Boy
Might bother you, it never bothered me none
My mother loved me, my wife did too
I had a dream and the dream come true
I wrote some songs that the people knew
Like "Good Morning School Girl" and "Jackson Blue"
Around the time of the great migration
The blues run up the river, spread across the nation
I run up with 'em caused a great sensation
Selling biscuits on the radio in Chicago
Out on the Westside to see the sights
Turned a corner, see my name in lights
Said I'd been playin' there for fourteen nights
This I had to see
This big old ugly cat was on the stage
Twice my size, about my age
Played six songs, five were mine
If I said he was good I'd be lyin'
Then he says "What's my name?"
The crowd says "Sonny Boy!"
He says "What's my name?"
They go "Sonny Boy!"
And he says "What's my name?"
I said "Hold it,
My name is Sonny Boy Williamson
The one from Jackson, Tennessee
Don't know who you are
Or where you come from
But one thing I do know
You ain't me, son"
I looked in his eyes
And they was red
As was the rangtang hair dye
All over his head
Scared me so bad I ran outside
Looked for a place to hide
Ran 'round a corner
Smack into a robbery
They were shootin' each other
But they hit me
Next thing I know I came up here
In the middle of my thirty-fourth year
Now I'm the only bluesman in heaven
It makes me kind of sad
I know only one
Died so young
Didn't have the time
To do nothing bad
As for Sonny Boy Two
The man who stole my name
He went on to glory, fortune and fame
He's the one who went to England
Tried to teach those English boys the blues
He said what do I have to lose?
Well, it killed him
Yeah, it killed him
I'm the only bluesman in heaven
And I'm lonely as can be
Lord, if you're listening
Hear my plea
Send down a bluesman
To play the blues with me
This is Sonny Boy Williamson
Number One
That's my story
I'm done
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Sonny Boy Lyrics as written by Randy Newman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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