Born Under A Bad Sign

The speaker describes life as a long run of hardship, beginning in childhood and continuing into the present. He feels isolated and uneducated, and says that trouble is almost his only companion. The repeated refrain makes his outlook sound both weary and resigned, though its forceful repetition also gives the song a defiant, bluesy energy.

“Born under a bad sign” is an image for feeling doomed to misfortune from the start; it need not mean the speaker believes in a literal sign. The line about having no luck if it were not for bad luck is a joke built on contradiction: even his luck seems to work against him. Saying his life has been “one big fight” suggests constant struggle, rather than one specific conflict. His desire for wine and women points toward immediate pleasures amid an unhappy life.

The song can be heard as a vivid performance of self-pity, but it may also contain humor and bravado. The speaker’s claims are sweeping, so they may express how hardship feels in the moment rather than provide a complete account of his life. His final words keep the mood playful yet bleak: bad luck is presented as a familiar companion he cannot escape.