Lightnin´Hopkins... My starter won´t start this morning

[putacandleinthewindo]

I fuckin love this motherfucker

[Ratananahavo]

This was originally recorded on Prestige/Bluesville in 1960. Chris Strachwitz at Arhoolie had him do it again in 1967 where drummer Francis Clay channeled the original Bluesville track's drummer, Belton Evans.

He's playing it in A in standard tuning.

[harrydavidson666]

All I want as a guitar player is to get halfway to this relaxed feel when playing the blues - what a great song!

[Free1108]

@harrydavidson666 I love this too! and if you haven't already, check out Justin Townes Earle's cover of this song. There are several good videos on here but my favs are uploads by ValBarber "My Starter Won't Start" and vanslyke25 "I Been Burning Bad Gasoline". Many say that Justin plays in "Lightnin' Hopkin's clawhammer style" but he credits Malcom Holcombe with his somewhat unique style. I've watched all play and can see each has similar but definitely unique styles.

[CrossBonesAlex]

Great work - maybe the coolest of all - listen to "Meats too high" and "Gambling Blues"

[mtlicq]

Classy performance, truly professional recording of it too. What a pleasure to hear !

[sakutasu]

i just love this style.. i could listen to this 24/7

thanks for posting this

[zemzami1]

what album is this ? someone !

[thomaslindseymusic]

This is just wonderful! I don't how anyone's foot couldn't be tapping while listening to this! :D

[Ermin0s]

@thomaslindseymusic i was tapping when i read it!

[donluke578]

Oh yea.......Lightnin's real nice.....!

[ThelynxAZ]

7 Dislikes? But how?

[MiLemonPie]

@ThelynxAZ Just because Blues can't be perfect

[FMZContralto]

@ThelynxAZ

Their taste is in their mouth, that's how.

[shanesoverycool]

Lightnin you are with a doubt the most awesome blues man ever to bless our country. I hope you are playing for all the people in the promised land. I know the love you too.

[podfunaug30]

I have been stuck by Lightnin

[Manidahoan]

Your just burning BAD GASOLINE--HOPINS's he stands by himself one TOP---

[DamnTheMan71]

One of the top 3 best blues guitarist of all time.

[Earthdancer46234]

Where is the super like button?

Great music.

[noblesiner]

This song takes me right back to 06. Being just 20 years old and wondering what in the world am i gonna do.

[102938abel]

He's one of the greats.  Im glad he got the Blues.

[mrmRnicebarstard]

REAL MUSIC

[bootytoot]

Smokin.And yeah leftystrat, Ronnie Earl carries the Lightnin' torch proud and high.

[leftystrat62]

Man, I sure do know who influenced Ronnie Earl after listening to this song.

[7kurisu]

a fine example of the proud tradition of automobile laments....

what playing

[greatner1]

If a guitar could applaud it would've given him a standing O after this number. Glad someone captured this stuff. Hopkins, Hopkins you were one of the best.

[FOOSBALLA]

L.H., so underrated, has a song for every condition or bad situation possible in the history of man, and theyre all blue!

[thebladesman]

if there ever was something to give a man the blues...

[Philby62]

Awesome. Makes me teary.

[sebounetman]

Blues, blues, blues...Quand tu nous tiens.

[fecklessmovies]

this is ace

[cfc67]

Is this song about erectile disfunction ?

[Zumramania]

@cfc67 @cfc67 it probably is, there are loads of blues songs with more or less hidden sexual meanings

there is even this guy , Bo Carter who did only such songs

"pin in your cushion" , "please warm my wiener", "banana in your fruit basket" etc.

blues is sometimes funnier than we (white guys) think

[avoncliffrichard1]

@Zumramania read the words of jimi hendrix's crosstown traffic.......sure is nothing to do with traffic...haha jelly roll , even rock n roll are all sexual references......

[mamarcorde]

une reference

[climiscd]

It's amazing what his music could do with only a guitar, drum and his own voice. Many of today's musicians focus too much on being technically perfect, they loose the feeling and emotion of the song. Lightnin' had a way reaching you deep inside that is almost unheard of today.

[ybot1983]

@climiscd thats the truth and always will, it doesnt matter if he recorded on a piece of string it sounds good

[montreemtx]

@climiscd I love your words about Lightnin's music.

[WorkingClassNOW]

All of today's "Radio" musicans just got murdered.

[cliffyuno]

Yup thats what i'm talkin about

[taigkyo]

Where did you find this? The engineering on this is INCREDIBLE, feels like I'm right there in the room!! Other versions I've heard sounded more dry and truncated, less airy, with too many microphones on the drums. Would love to buy this album if you can please identify it........??

[TheMaccafan]

Real blues.....

[shant42176]

i love it

[sethzky77]

this is how I feel right now.

[Musicartsandcoffee]

This is great stuff. Forget all the modern day blues players that just shred and play fast, that's not blues, this is blue - Lightnin' is the man!

[LoneTinaja]

When I started playing guitar in 1964 Lightnin' had his own weekly TV show in Houston. It was in the afternoon shortly after I got home from junior high school. For 30 minutes he played & sang & talked a little about life.The camera often showed close-ups of his very long fingers which helped me better understand what he was doing. It was great inspiration.But I never figured out his tuning.Now YouTube is loaded with info on how to play like some of the Blues giants. Times have changed

[al0102030405]

@LoneTinaja his tuning is standard just much lower, almost a whole step at times.

[timberbeast420]

@LoneTinaja that is very cool to think about,,I wonder if any of that was filmed and if it was,,wqw,,where is it??

[LoneTinaja]

@timberbeast420 The TV show was on the ABC TV affiliate KTRK ,

I spoke with the employee who said he is in charge of the archives

of old TV shows. I asked him if they still have it. I suspect they do,

but he didn't give me a definitive yes or no.

[100crawma]

@LoneTinaja the year i was born

[valentineDD1]

@LoneTinaja You are awesome too Sir.

Your past is interesting.

Enjoy...

[Marovex93]

how can u dislike this..?

[TheRealPrancer]

I believe the song's actual title is "Burnin' Bad Gasoline" or "I've Been Burnin' Bad Gasoline"

At any rate, it's a favorite of mine.

[TheBrowndawg]

beautiful song but how bout the photo. you gotta earn fingers like those.

[buffalobilly]

from record is this, sound quality is incredible

[wincent1976]

Love this!! Thanks for posting.

[Fruscianteistheman]

if i could sing half as good as hopkins, i just be in bed all day playing guitar.

[jillh10]

great track sums up life

[ballocoke]

when did he compose this?

[GrisGrisOnUrDoorStep]

@ballocoke Im not sure when he composed it but Im guessing this recording was early 60s or maybe late 50s since he didnt have drums till a little bit later

[evacloakie77]

i worship you for this post

[yeneewSSweeney]

This is true beauty. ♥

[ahsharaf]

what a song ..

[theone292]

haha it's aout his penis. he cant get it up/. lolololololololol

Incredible music. God if only I could play like that....

[mamalaura]

sweetness...

[HIMess89]

Soooouuuuullll X}

[zx1357]

He makes one note sound badass

[ThePatch123]

wow just heard lightnin for the first time and he really makes his guitar sing

[MAYA80051]

man what a vibe....

[StartingwithSoul]

great blues song!!!

[amysinai]

lLOVE you brother......Bless you, Peace, LOVE,Light! :)

[tb0nestk]

Amazing, just his thumb and one finger! Damn, he could make those strings sing! You can feel that soul coming through.

I'm not worthy !!!!

[heavynumbertaco]

I wish they'd just keep the camera on the performer.I don't need to see no pictures of telephone poles and a man's hand.Hell I'm gonna write a blues song about it

Hand man telephone pole picture blues

I don't wanna see no telephone wires

when I'm tryin to see that gitar man play

I don't wanna see no telephone wires

when I'm tryin to see that gitar man play

seems like a waste in my opinion

and I don't need to see them anyway

[heavynumbertaco]

I wish they'd just keep the camera on the performer.I don't need to see no pictures of telephone poles and a man's hand.Hell I'm gonna write a blues song about it

Telephone pole picture blues

I don't wanna see no telephone wires

when I'm tryin to see that gitar man play

I don't wanna see no telephone wires

when I'm tryin to see that gitar man play

seems like a waste in my opinion

and I don't need to see them anyway

[Heisssask]

@heavynumbertaco Man I laughed :D can i use ur song?

[elswano1]

forgot just how good ol' Lightnin' was good one! keep it up!

[FuckStaub]

i love blues in a good audio quality!!

[kinitow]

This has to be one of the all time great blues euphemisms!!

[Thurstonmorehouse]

Classic!

[69fairlane500]

This with Hank Jr. is awesome!

[tako9680]

意味は分からないけど・・・好きだ！

[ballocoke]

@tako9680 WTF?

[emailkenny]

" you know I been runnin' wit' a fass' class o' womens " -- Man, how I love his raw, gritty, authentic, southern dialect :o)

[blueturtleblues]

tht's an hell of a guitar solo

[arjhendrix]

RIP Sam

[legalzinho12]

Lightning Hopkins Rules!!have a great style to play guitar and sing.

[AKI3TAN]

nice!

this is the feeling of his solid and hot blues music!

[mymailtube]

Very good! I like the video too! Where did you find the image on 1:15?

[gymhourfee]

Towns van zandt later did his version of this song. Justice was done...

What a song..whew

[PathToTake]

Is this song in the kay of A?

[gymhourfee]

@PathToTake A7 I believe.....

[MEKlett]

That just takes me to a whole other place... beautiful... thanks!

[Nickpdp]

great style!

[fastguytim]

What a great blues classic

[6stringANDacoke]

anyone hear the elmore james lick at the end?

[Tharix88]

You just been burnin bad gasoline.. haha Love Lightnin.

[sysphus13]

i want to play along but his guitar is tuned flat

[onelovega]

That's one rough soundin lick,but I like it!

[seerskater]

damn i wish i was black

[leeday1973]

GOOD MAN FEELING DOWN

[bfvfdkb]

.......Been burning bad gasoline!  The song isn't about a car!

[ganjabreeder8]

111.111 views :P

great song , even greater blues guitarrist!

[hunnimonster88]

as a 21 year old mitsubishi mechanic,this is exactly my blues.'my starter wont start this mornin,ah gotta check the feed from the ignition switch an the constant live and earth and maybe if its an immobilizer fault,,,,,my baby she left me'

[kstarBAM]

"My starter wont start this mo'nin" wish I could jus sit down nd write a song about somthin like that. but instead I'd prolly curse it to the deepest hell. mm mm mmm

[faaradar]

THE ORIGINAL!!!! Lightnin was and is the MAN.

[seekanddestroy09]

smack it with a hammer once or twice-----lightnin ROCKS

[CSXer]

I wish I could cheer up enough to play the blues like this!

GREAT recording!

[MultiSashy]

One of the VERY BEST!!!

[Asymmatrix]

Fuckin' ay.

[Nicolas33ful]

What are the lyrics, please?

[TheJarrettfaulk]

instead of writing sit back and listen.

[JLP078]

@TheJarrettfaulk You are right !!!

[arildrossebo]

bad gasoline...

[SunRaOo]

lol

[Texusify]

the real blues right there...blue fangers, blue voice...everythang

[tubesteakbooky]

sound like a monday morning depressing as hell.Lightnin is the man.

[bbb2blues]

@tubesteakbooky But he is here to help U out!!! Ain't that good news

[sferemonk]

Norway, Denmark, Hi from London. Blues haiku to you too. Blue all over the World, people. Luv interweb and yootoob, sookie, sookie.

My baby loves it when my motor's runnin, an' she so sweet i run it all i can, but when it ain't startin she jus gotta understan'. LOVE IN!!

[kennewicksheri]

OOhOOH baby.. what lyrics.....

what.. sweeet.. sensual lyrics.......

nice .. nice

[troutvt]

hmmm, mamma died father killed his self brother got killed by massa reb, i m wonderin what the fuck you bitcin bout, got no sufferin in you heart? lightnin do

[escobarsfriend]

youre damn right viking. its the same in denmark. we smoke joint and relaaaaaaaxxxxx

[lionking6199zj]

Okay SCREWHEADS... LISTEN UP...!!!

Somethin' must be wrong wit all you's little machine...

Machanic say y'all alright...

Y'all just burnin' bad gasoline...!

Y'all are livin' out what Lightning singing about now, hear...! CHILL OUT!!!

[KBjalme]

Calm down. Damn buddy.

[Blackdiamond045]

I feel that man...

[EdVidz]

Obama don't know blues. The blues know Obama.

[elmargomt2]

GoHeadOn lightnin'',whea ma 1\2 pint of sunny brook at ???

[duvaldallas]

haha yea man i can dig it

[SteveMontgomery01]

That's heavy!!!

[toddallenhooper]

What the crap does this have to do with Obama, gimme a break, geez...

[accordianman5264]

so simple,so perfect,can it get any better.....don't think so, thanks for the posting

[HerbBeamish]

Ah bes dah man they call the Lightnin' Hopkins....

A great man with a memorable cache of songs.

Obama can't top this act. Not in 3 lifetimes.

[ElmoLewiss]

you go sayin john lee hooker copying somebody, you better watch yourself.

[duvaldallas]

lol wut?

gtfo of youtube

[Iputrandomstuff]

youtube is not your personal army.

[duvaldallas]

nobody said it was thanks though

[Viking0fNorway]

Il fuck´n kill you btw! LOL!;)

[Iputrandomstuff]

I like how people just hate me for that post. Even though I do stand behind it. I'll kill whoever said John Lee is unoriginal.

[Viking0fNorway]

John Lee is Original man;)

Peace Out!

[ElmoLewiss]

you better watch yourself.

[bouncylj]

what are you going to do?

[HerbBeamish]

This should have been the way Obama got his start

[Ridane2005]

lmao this song is funnier then hell

[shaserv]

Now, that is the real deal.....BadAss.....

[88ragtime]

This is heavy, heavier than heavy metal. Lightnin' could play the meanest blues in the world.

[SpaceBambino]

@88ragtime heavy metal is for long haired childish fat dudes with acne and castle dragons fantasies. this is music for men

[ImCalHi]

@88ragtime listen to brain drill. youll retract that comment.

still, you get a thumbs up because i know what you mean. :D

[rievans57]

A metaphor for life indeed.

[Fretfeeler]

I am going to record a bass part for this since it was just a guitar and drums. :)

[AkousticSoul212]

very cool indeed

[andrewshedden]

his guitar playing is similar to John Lee Hooker's

[ediglo]

na dude

[BeeMichael]

This (the blues) is our ( American) answer to Haiku - the essence of what it is to be human in 12 bars - just the greatest!

[Leondale]

wow! well said!

[KaiBailey]

Man, that drummer sounds really relaxed. He's playing really well.

[Nattleite]

HAIL LIGHTNIN' !

[mudcatGS86]

I used to love BB, Albert & then Freddy King but when I found Lightin' I saw the light. His Blues is so raw, like distilled Lightnin'

[clappic]

i still love em , just found lightin ... they're all amazing .

this tune reminds me of the time i had to change my car battery . blues is so real

[pinholedstars]

I don't think this song is about cars...

[clappic]

"something wrong with my little machine" ...

"gasoline" 2:31 ...

i think it is about a car, thanks for bringing me back to this exellent tune

[djkaseone]

Its about himself. you know, metaphor. Car = Body

[clappic]

ironically , my car wont start today ...

[LJoeT]

Metaphors are lost on some people.

[Metakism]

@LJoeT

:)!!

[joeperryforpope]

@clappic AHAHAHAHA

[ThomasDeLello]

Now go look up Johnny Shines...!

[mudcatGS86]

I did and thanks but the sound quality wasn't there for me.

[Leondale]

yeh, check out robert belfour and Robert pete williams too,

[Hope6sic6]

Check out David 'Honeyboy' Edwards !

[BHStar]

Do you listen to SRV?

[snowchief]

same here. i've listened to many a blues guitar player/singer, and then I heard lightnin and he's the best. there are some recordings on youtube where he plays electric and he sounds like a mix of hendrix and clapton - 10 yeras before they were famous.