Lovesick Blues
By: Cliff Friend, Irving Mills

Original Performance: Hank Williams
Written by: Cliff Friend, Irving Mills

 
Lyrics:
Lovesick Blues [Version (a)]:

From August 17, 2002 version

I got a feelin' called the blues, oh Lord, 'cause my baby said goodbye
Lord I don't know what I'll do, all I do is sit and sigh "Oh Lord"
The last long day she said goodbye, oh Lord I thought I would cry
She'll do me, she'll do you, she got the kinda lovin'
Lord I love to hear her when she calls me sweet daddy
Such a beautiful dream, I hate to think it's all over
I lost my heart it seems, grown used to you somehow
But I'm nobody's sugar daddy now
I'm lonesome, got the love sick blues

I'm in love, I'm in love with a beautiful gal
That's what's that matter with me
I'm in love, I'm in love with a beautiful gal
But she don't care about me
Lord I've tried and I've tried to keep her satisfied
But she just wouldn't stay
So now that she is leavin', this is all I could say

I got a feelin' called the blues, oh Lord, since my baby said goodbye
Lord I don't know what I'll do, all I do is sit and sigh, "Oh Lord"
That last long day she said goodbye, oh Lord I thought I would die
She'll do me, she'll do you, she's got that kinda lovin'
Lord I love to hear her when she calls me sweet daddy
Such a beautiful dream, I hate to think it's all over
I lost my heart, it seems, I'm used to you somehow
Well I'm nobody's sugar daddy now
And I'm lonesome, I got the love sick blues
 
The Song:

"Lovesick Blues" is one of Hank Williams most famous tunes. Beck has covered it live a few times.
 
Live:

Played live 16 times:
Earliest known live version: December 15, 2001
Latest known live version: July 27, 2021

This Hank Williams classic was performed by Beck on December 15 2001. It was a short set at a benefit gig in Silverlake, CA, and Beck included a couple of Hank Williams songs. His band was just Lyle and Justin (i.e., two guitars and a bass).

Beck played it again on February 21 2002. This time, he did it alone.

And again, throughout the August 2002 solo acoustic tour, Beck made it a point to do one Hank Williams song per show. "Lovesick Blues" showed up only twice, but Beck and Smokey's version was loose and cool. It's interesting to hear Beck sing like this, though I think Smokey's guitar is the highlight.

Then in June 2006, Beck dropped "Lovesick Blues" into a couple of his acoustic sets.

In 2018, Beck played "Lovesick Blues" around 9 times, during acoustic sets of his longer shows on the Colors tour. Earlier in 2018, the "Wal-Mart Kid" had gone viral, a video of a young boy singing "Lovesick Blues" in a Wal-Mart. Beck saw it, related to the kid, and did quick versions of the song alone on his acoustic guitar. Though, once in Kansas City, his band was around him for the acoustic set, and he started the song and they added some light acoustic guitar and mandolin to his performance.

We only have around 15 versions of the song documented, but as Beck has said, he played the song a lot as a kid -- Hank Williams was one of his main influences -- and that it's one he just does around the house a lot.
 
Notes: