Gatton was born in Washington, DC on September 4, 1945. His father, Daniel W. Gatton Sr., was a former rhythm guitarist known for his unique percussive style, who left his musical career to raise his family in a more stable profession. The younger Gatton grew up to share his father's passion for the instrument.
Gatton's playing combined musical styles such as jazz, blues and rockabilly in an innovative fashion, and he was known by some as "the telemaster" or "the world's greatest unknown guitarist". However, he never achieved the commercial success that his talent arguably deserved. His skills were most appreciated by his peers such as Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, and his childhood idol Les Paul.
Danny Gatton made his name as a performer in the Washington, D.C. area during the 1980s, both as a solo performer and with his Redneck Jazz Explosion, in which he would trade licks with virtuoso pedal steel player Buddy Emmons over a tight bass-drums rhythm which drew from blues, country, bebop and rockabilly influences. He also backed Robert Gordon and Roger Miller.
He usually played a 1953 Fender Telecaster (Fender now manufactures a replica of his heavily customized instrument), with Joe Barden pickups and Fender Super 250L's, or Nickel Plated Steel (.010 to .046 with a .015 for the G) strings. As a slide Gatton would use a beer bottle or mug.
His technique was unorthodox, but allowed him to use all ten fingers for both picking and fretting. He always played with a jazz style teardrop pick, and was capable of intricate passages combining bluegrass, bebop, and garage sounds, executed with amazing clarity and at dizzying speeds.
The definitive biography is Unfinished Business: The Life and Times of Danny Gatton by Ralph Heibutzki.
Secret Love
Danny Gatton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That lived within the heart of me
All too soon my secret love,
Became impatient to be free
So I told a friendly star,
The way that dreamers often do
Just how wonderful you are,
Now, I shout it from the highest hills
Even told the golden daffodils
At last my hearts an open door,
And my secret love's
No secret anymore.
Danny Gatton's song "Secret Love" speaks of a love that was kept hidden in the heart of the singer. It was a love that was too precious to share with others until the singer couldn't keep it to himself anymore. In the first verse, he talks about how his secret love was deep inside his heart until it became too much for him to handle. It's a universal truth that the heart wants what it wants, and it's hard to keep a secret love buried within oneself for too long.
In the second verse, the singer reveals his secret love to a friendly star. The language he uses is symbolic of how we put our trust and faith in something higher than us to share our deepest desires. He talks about how wonderful his love is, and how he is engulfed in love with this person. In the last lines of the verse, he vows to shout it out to the whole world.
Finally, in the last verse, he exclaims his love for this person on the highest hills and even tells it to the golden daffodils. He opens his heart, and his love is no longer a secret anymore. The song speaks of the power of love and how it can bring us out of our shells and make us vulnerable to the world. It's about how love can move mountains and change us from within.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I had a secret love,
There was someone special in my life, but I kept it a secret.
That lived within the heart of me
My true feelings were hidden deep inside my heart.
All too soon my secret love,
Over time, I couldn't keep my love a secret any longer.
Became impatient to be free
My love grew stronger and I wanted to express it openly.
So I told a friendly star,
I confided in a star, as many dreamers do.
The way that dreamers often do
Dreamers often share their secrets with the stars above.
Just how wonderful you are,
I shared how truly amazing and wonderful you are.
And why I'm so in love with you
I expressed my reasons for being deeply in love with you.
Now, I shout it from the highest hills
I now proclaim my love loudly and openly without any hesitation.
Even told the golden daffodils
Not only do I share my love with people, but I even share it with nature.
At last my hearts an open door,
My heart is fully open and free now, with no secrets left to hide.
And my secret love's
My love that was once a secret
No secret anymore.
Is now open and revealed to the world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER, SAMMY FAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind