About the song
Background
- Songwriter: Written by Harlan Howard, a prominent country songwriter of the era.
- Original Release: First recorded by country artist Johnny Cash in 1962.
- Ray Charles Version: Charles put his signature soul spin on the song and released his version in 1963, quickly achieving greater chart success.
- Style: Blends country-western and R&B, a testament to Ray Charles’ ability to transcend genres.
Lyrics
The lyrics tell a story of poverty and hardship from the perspective of a struggling farmer:
- Financial Ruin: The opening lines set the scene: “My bills are all due and the baby needs shoes and I’m busted.” The narrator’s financial trouble is immediate and relatable.
- Domino Effect: The song details how one problem leads to another – he can’t pay bills, his cow won’t produce milk, and the county threatens to take his belongings.
- Seeking Help: He turns to his brother for a loan, only to find his brother in a similar dire situation.
- Resignation and Resolve: Faced with no options, the narrator decides to pack up his family and head out to try and find a better life.
Themes
- Economic Hardship: The core theme is the struggle of poverty, particularly during difficult economic times. The song resonates with a sense of desperation faced by many during the Great Depression and other periods of hardship.
- Resilience: Despite the bleakness, there’s an underlying sense of resilience in the narrator’s determination to find a solution, even if it means leaving everything he knows.
- Social Commentary: The song subtly addresses issues of inequality and the lack of social safety nets for struggling individuals.
Additional Notes
- Ray Charles’s Appeal: Charles’s soulful and heartfelt delivery brings a deep authenticity to the song’s themes of hardship and perseverance.
Video
Lyrics
YeahOh, no, no, noWell, I know
Yeah, my bills are all due and the baby needs shoesBut I’m bustedCotton is down to a quarter a poundBut I’m busted right nowI got a cow that went dry and a hen that won’t layA big stack of bills that gets bigger each dayThe county’s gonna haul my belongings away‘Cause I’m busted right nowOh, yes, I am
Well, I went to my brother to ask for a loan‘Cause I was bustedI hate to beg like a dog without his boneBut I’m busted, I’ll tell yaMy brother said, “There ain’t a thing I can doMy wife and my kids are all down with the fluAnd I was just thinking about calling on you‘Cause I’m busted myself”
Well, that’s what he told me
Yeah, I am no thief, but a man can go wrongWhen he, he’s bustedThe food that we canned last summer is goneAnd I’m busted right nowWell, the fields are all bare and the cotton won’t growMe and my family got to pack up and goI’ll make a living, where I don’t know‘Cause I’m busted today
Y’all know I’m brokeI ain’t got no moneyI’m talkin’ ’bout empty pocketsAh, forget itAh, to hell with itYeah