Know You Rider

Hot Tuna

About Know You Rider

"I Know You Rider" (also "Woman Blues" and "I Know My Rider") is a traditional blues song that has been adapted by numerous artists. Modern versions can be traced back to Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Deceitful Brownskin Blues", which was released as a single in 1927. It later appears in the 1934 book, American Ballads and Folk Songs, by the noted father-and-son pair of musicologists and folklorists, John Lomax and Alan Lomax. The book notes that "An eighteen-year old black girl, in prison for murder, sang the song and the first stanza of these blues. " The Lomaxes then added a number of verses from other sources and named it "Woman Blue". The music and melody are similar to Lucille Bogan's "B. D. Woman Blues" (ca. 1935), although the lyrics are completely different. In the mid-1950s, traditional musician Bob Coltman found the song in the Lomax book, arranged it and began singing it frequently around Philadelphia and New England circa 1957-1960. In 1959, Coltman taught it to Tossi Aaron who recorded it in 1960 for her LP Tossi Sings Folk Songs & Ballads on Prestige International. Joan Baez recorded a version for her 1960 debut album on Vanguard Records but the track was not released until 2001. Throughout the early 1960s the song gained popularity through folk performers, most notably The Kingston Trio, who included the song "Rider" on their album Sunny Side! in 1963. So did The Big 3, an American folk trio that featured Cass Elliot. Folk singer Judy Roderick also recorded an influential version of the song under the title "Woman Blue" and it became the title track of her second album, recorded and released by Vanguard in 1965. British folk singer John Renbourn recorded a version of the song (titled "I Know My Babe") and it was included on his 1967 solo album, Another Monday. By the mid-1960s, rock acts had begun to record the song. Well known versions include those by The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, James Taylor (as "Circle Round the Sun", on James Taylor), the Seldom Scene and Hot Tuna. The Astronauts released a version on their 1967 album Travelin' Men. The Byrds recorded the song during 1966, under the title "I Know My Rider (I Know You Rider)", but their version remained unreleased until 1987, when it was included on Never Before. The Byrds' version was later included as a bonus track on the expanded CD edition of their Fifth Dimension album. The Byrds also performed the song at the Monterey Pop Festival, though that performance of "I Know My Rider (I Know You Rider)" has never been officially released. The Dutch progressive rock band Galaxy-Lin released an influential version of the song (titled "I Know My Baby") on their 1975 album, G. The song was also covered by reggae/rock fusion artists Slightly Stoopid on their 2008 album Slightly Not Stoned Enough To Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid and Big House on their 2008 Never Ending Train album. It has also been partially covered by experimental folk band Akron/Family. 


Year:
1996
4:07
904 

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I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your baby from rollin' in your arms

Sun's gonna shine on my back door some day
Sun's gonna shine on my back door some day
And the wind's gonna rise up and blow my blues away

I wish I was a headlight on a northbound train
I wish I was a headlight on a northbound train
I'd shine my headlight through the cool Colorado rain

Lovin' you baby's 'bout as easy as rollin' off a log
Lovin' you baby's 'bout as easy as rollin' off a log
I'll be your daddy but I just won't be your dog

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Hot Tuna

Hot Tuna is an American blues-rock band formed by bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen as a spin-off of Jefferson Airplane. It plays acoustic and electric versions of original and traditional blues songs. more »

2 fans

Written by: Jorma Kaukonen

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Origin
"Know You Rider" is a traditional song that has been covered by many different artists over the years. Hot Tuna is just one of the bands that popularized the song in the modern era.
Band Members
Hot Tuna is a blues band formed by bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, both originally members of the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane.
Live Performances
When performed by Hot Tuna, the song frequently appears in a live, extended jam format, showcasing their improvisational and instrumental abilities.
Lyrics
The lyrics of “Know You Rider” depict the sorrow of a man whose lover has left him. The references to the sun sinking in the west and the woman being already gone suggest a sense of moving on, symbolic of the cycle of relationships and life.
Different Versions
There are numerous variations of the song, both lyrically and musically, as it has been passed down from generation to generation and artist to artist. The distinct version by Hot Tuna is noted for its peerless acoustic guitar work.
Album Appearance
While the song does not appear on any of Hot Tuna's studio albums, it has become a beloved staple of their live shows and has been included on numerous live albums.
Musical Style
Hot Tuna is known for their unique blend of blues, folk, and rock music, and their rendition of "Know You Rider" is no exception.
Connection to Grateful Dead
The song is well-known in the jam-band scene and has often been associated with the Grateful Dead, who offered their own interpretation of the song, usually coupled with 'China Cat Sunflower'.
Instrumental Expertise
Jack Casady's heavy bass work and Jorma Kaukonen's complex finger-picking guitar style set their version of "Know You Rider" apart from others.
Length of Performance
The performance of "Know You Rider" by Hot Tuna in their concerts often extends to fairly long duration as they dive into jam sessions featuring extended guitar and bass solos.

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