Song Meaning
Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues" isn't just a lament; it's a primal scream echoing from the depths of despair and restless wandering. The opening lines, "Woke up this morning, feeling round for my shoes / Know 'bout 'at I got these, old walking blues," immediately establish a cyclical pattern of waking into a world already defined by this inescapable melancholy. The 'walking blues' aren't merely sadness; they're an intrinsic part of his being, a constant companion dictating his path. This isn't a passive acceptance, but rather a weary acknowledgement. The shoes aren't just for walking; they are for escaping the pain. Johnson perfectly captures the idea of being trapped by one's own emotions, feeling as though movement, even aimless wandering, is the only possible response.
The second verse plunges into a more explicit source of pain: the departure of Bernice. "Lord, I feel like blowing my old lonesome horn / Got up this morning, my little Bernice was gone." It's not simply heartbreak; it's a profound sense of abandonment and the loss of something fundamental. This loss becomes intertwined with the "walking blues", fueling the need to escape, to outrun the pain. The lonesome horn becomes a symbol of his solitary state, a desperate attempt to fill the void left by her absence. The idea of riding 'the blind' indicates the need to move without direction, which is not just a physical act, but also a psychological one. The expression of not minding dying is not a literal death wish, but rather an expression of the depth of despair and of a desire for release from the pain he is experiencing.
Johnson’s lyrics delve into the subjective experience of depression, contrasting it with the platitudes of others. "Some people tell me that the worried blues ain't bad / Worst old feeling I most ever had." This highlights the isolating nature of intense emotional pain. It is a rejection of the minimization of his feelings, asserting the profound impact of the blues on his life. The mention of the woman with the "Elgin movement from her head down to her toes" introduces a fleeting moment of desire. The "Elgin movement" is a metaphor for her allure and magnetism, her ability to effortlessly extract money from others. This brief interlude could be interpreted as a distraction from his blues, a temporary escape into the realm of desire and fleeting connection, but it does not resolve the underlying sense of melancholy or the need to keep moving.
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