Love in Vain ( originally written by Robert Johnson, and altered by the Rolling Stones)

 Love in Vain ( originally written by Robert Johnson, and altered by the Rolling Stones)

Well I followed her to the station
With a suitcase in my hand.
Yeah, I followed her to the station
With a suitcase in my hand.
Whoa, it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell
When all your love's in vain.

When the train come in the station
I looked her in the eye.
Well the train come in the station
And I looked her in the eye.
Whoa, I felt so sad so lonesome,
That I could not help but cry.

When the train left the station
It had two lights on behind.
Yeah, when the train left the station
It had two lights on behind.
Whoa, the blue light was my baby,
And the red light was my mind.

All my love was in vain.
All my love's in vain.

This song, aside from being one of the most beloved blues songs of the icon Robert Johnson, was adapted by the Rolling Stones who contributed to its meteoric rise in popularity.  However, when closely examining the style of the song one can see how well the repetition of lines enforces the deep, raw heartache accompanied by the loss of a love so completely consuming.  The tone exposes the listener the listener to the void left by the absence, and the feeling not of being torn asunder, but of being drained instantly of the conviction that is part of such a strong feeling.  Now that the critical commentary is over, the fun stuff begins.  This song is awesome, in the literal sense of the word.  Such simple structure is rarely the basis of such profound depth and meaning, however American Blues gives the world a plethora of meaning with words that would not be out of place in a passing conversation, a brief catching up by friends in a bar, or a farm or factory floor.  The beauty of this style is its straight forward expression.  With no frills, no complex metaphysical conundrums to decipher, the song of the blues man (or woman) is truly penetrating.  The accoutrement that are found sewn onto the surface of many poems are frequently, in my opinion,  obstructions to the power of art.  Be it a overused color palette or an unnecessarily flowery diction, the garnishes of art are frequently overpowering.  Blues lyricists show the naked power of an appeal to human emotion unencumbered by such blandishment, found only in those souls daring enough to give freely of their hearts and woes, selfless enough to use their pain to craft something of comfort and grace.  This is why "Love in Vain" is a truly great song, and one that should be honored as a paragon of a truly American style. 

Link to YouTube of Love in Vain from the album "Let it Bleed"