(2) Very few musical artists achieve a true signature style -- one that makes comparisons to other musicians impossible. But Texas guitarist Eric Johnson arguably comes as close to this echelon as any musician from the past quarter-century. Like fellow Lone Star State guitarists Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnson blends the rock style of Jimi Hendrix and the blues power of Albert King. Yet Johnson's wide array of additional influences (from the Beatles and Jeff Beck to jazz and Chet Atkins) makes for a guitar sound as unique as his fingerprints.
"When I first heard Eric," Winter recalled, "he was only 16, and I remember wishing that I could have played like that at that age." Former Doobie Brothers guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter said, "If Jimi Hendrix had gone on to study with Howard Roberts for about eight years, you'd have what this kid strikes me as." The Austin prodigy appeared on the cover of Guitar Player magazine while working with Texas jazz/fusion band the Electromagnets and as a session player (Cat Stevens, Carole King, Christopher Cross), and a 1984 performance on the TV show Austin City Limits set his recording career in motion.
Johnson's 1986 debut album, Tones, certainly proved that the hype was warranted. Playing with the ace rhythm section of bassist Roscoe Beck and drummer Tommy Taylor, Johnson mixed blazing instrumentals ("Zap," "Victory") with Beatles-influenced vocal tunes like "Emerald Eyes" and "Bristol Shore." Johnson used the same half-and-half format on the 1990 follow-up, Ah Via Musicom, but a trio of the album's tunes surprisingly made him the first artist to have three instrumentals from the same album to chart in the Top Ten in any format (with "Cliffs of Dover" earning Johnson a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental).
But, if Johnson had a perceived weakness, it was the perfectionism that caused four years to pass between recordings. Even in concert, he would painstakingly tune his guitar between songs, by ear, for minutes on end. With the success of Ah Via Musicom, the guitarist admitted to feeling pressure to raise the bar again. But Johnson's studio nitpicking delayed Venus Isle until 1996, and the disappointing CD contained fewer instrumentals and sounded forced.
A stint on the 1997 G3 tour with fellow headlining guitarists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, and its resulting live release, breathed new life into Johnson and sparked the idea of a live album. Overhauling his band for the 2000 CD Live and Beyond, Johnson brought in bassist Chris Maresh and drummer Bill Maddox, and concentrated on more of a blues feel. The guitarist still blended instrumentals with his vocal tunes ("Shape I'm In," "Last House on the Block"), but perhaps realized that his thin voice was too one-dimensional for guttural blues or R&B. Guest vocalist Malford Milligan ignites "Don't Cha Know" and "Once a Part of Me," helping Johnson's blazing debut on Vai's Favored Nations label and reestablishing the versatile virtuoso's status for the 21st century. As Vai himself testified, "Eric has more colorful tone in his fingers than Van Gogh had on his palette."
Souvenir, an album available only through Johnson's website, appeared in 2002, followed by CD and DVD versions of New West's Live from Austin, TX and Bloom, the second album for Vai's Favored Nations imprint, in 2005. Johnson returned in 2010 with Up Close, a studio album that slightly emphasized the guitarist's Texas roots. A collaboration with jazz guitarist Mike Stern, Eclectic, appeared in 2014. ~ Bill Meredith
Climbing From Inside
Eric Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Deep into emotion, think I've dug too far
And I can't turn back now.
Strange kinds of feeling, climbing from inside
Is this what's called love, and why is it I hide?
All before my life, I've been shoved around
So I curse this scene around me
I want a ticket out to a new world
It's a world with you.
We'll celebrate our love
The two of us share something big and new
Cause you got to me, now I'm gonna get to you.
It's restless how I'm feeling
Sure can't call this home
I've got crazy indecision and it makes me want to roam
Underneath my skin, clouds are rolling through
This is scary stormy weather, it'd be a big rain without you
Climbing from inside
Oh you're on my mind
The song "Climbing From Inside" by Eric Johnson is a deeply emotional song about a person who is struggling with their emotions and the fears associated with falling in love. The song begins with the idea that there is a risk when one delves deep into their emotions, and reveals that the singer has gone too far and cannot turn back now. The climbing feeling inside of the singer is a strange kind of feeling that they have never before experienced. The singer wonders if what they are feeling is love, and if so, why do they hide from it?
Throughout the song, the singer speaks of being shoved around all their life, and wanting a ticket out to a new world with the person they love. They want to celebrate their love and share something big and new with their partner. However, they are feeling restless and uncertain, which makes them want to roam. They are experiencing crazy indecision, and they cannot call their current situation home. The singer feels that it is stormy weather inside of them, and that they cannot weather this storm without their partner. Ultimately, the singer has their partner on their mind, and they are struggling to find a way to express their feelings and share their love.
In summary, "Climbing From Inside" is a song that delves into the idea of love being a scary and emotional experience. The singer is struggling with their emotions and the fear of falling in love. They want to be with the person they love but are unsure and uncertain about how to express their feelings. The song is a powerful exploration of the emotional struggles that accompany love and the fear of vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
There's danger when you dig
Exploring one's emotions can be risky
Deep into emotion, think I've dug too far
I may have delved too deeply into my feelings
And I can't turn back now.
I'm already invested
Strange kinds of feeling, climbing from inside
Emotions I've never experienced before are surfacing
Is this what's called love, and why is it I hide?
I wonder if this is love, but I'm hesitant to admit it
All before my life, I've been shoved around
I've faced adversity throughout my life
So I curse this scene around me
I resent my current circumstances
Need to bring that fence on down.
I want to break free from my limitations
I want a ticket out to a new world
I desire a fresh start
It's a world with you.
I want to share this new beginning with you
We'll celebrate our love
We'll commemorate our relationship
The two of us share something big and new
We have a significant and novel connection
Cause you got to me, now I'm gonna get to you.
You've impacted me, now it's my turn to reciprocate
It's restless how I'm feeling
I'm experiencing an unsettled, agitated sensation
Sure can't call this home
I don't feel comfortable and secure here
I've got crazy indecision and it makes me want to roam
I'm conflicted and considering wandering
Underneath my skin, clouds are rolling through
My emotions are turbulent
This is scary stormy weather, it'd be a big rain without you
I would be in dire straits without your support
Climbing from inside
My feelings are intensifying
Oh you're on my mind
I'm thinking about you
Contributed by Jasmine K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dennis King
Great tune, haunting, and it has that otherworldly quality about it.
I love it...
Leandro Acosta
EJ, una leyenda viviente. Gracias por compartirlo.
Francesca Scala
There's danger when you dig
Deep into emotion, think I've dug too far
And I can't turn back now.
Strange kinds of feeling, climbing from inside
Is this what's called love, and why is it I hide?
All before my life, I've been shoved around
So I curse this scene around me
Need to bring that fence on down.
I want a ticket out to a new world
It's a world with you.
We'll celebrate our love.
The two of us share something big and new
Cause you got me, now I'm gonna get to you.
It's restless how I'm feeling
Sure can't call this home
I've got crazy indecision and it makes me want to roam
Underneath my skin, clouds are rolling through
This is scary stormy weather, it'd be a big rain without you
Climbing from inside
Oh you're on my mind.
FeelingShred
this song is HEAVY... be careful not to dig too deep
Marcelo Rodrigues
One of the most beatyful ballad....ever!!!
David Artreides
Why does this song reduce me too tears everything I hear it? It's perfect.