Jesse Winchester (born James Ridout Winchester on 17 May 1944 in Bossier Ci… Read Full Bio ↴Jesse Winchester (born James Ridout Winchester on 17 May 1944 in Bossier City, Louisiana; died 11 April 2014 in Charlottesville, Virginia) was an American-Canadian musician and songwriter. His best-known songs include "Yankee Lady", "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz", "Mississippi, You're on My Mind", and "Biloxi"; his song "Step by Step" was used in the final episode of HBO's 'The Wire's' first season. Many notable artists recorded his songs, including Patti Page, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Anne Murray, Reba McEntire, The Everly Brothers and Emmylou Harris. In 2007 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He moved to Canada in 1967 to avoid being drafted and became a Canadian citizen in 1973; he gained amnesty in the U.S. in 1977 and resettled in Memphis, Tennessee in 2002.

Winchester was born in Bossier City, Louisiana, his father being stationed at Barksdale Field. He was raised both in the country (on farms owned by his parents) and in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, and attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, graduating in 1966. After touring Germany and upon receiving his draft notice in 1967, Winchester relocated to Montreal, Quebec. He became a Canadian citizen in 1973, and married his first wife Leslie. After many years in Montreal and after his divorce, he established his personal studio at Saint Georges de Beauce, Quebec, and resided there for some years before moving back to Memphis in 2002. Married to his wife Cindy, he lately resided in Charlottesville, Virginia. Winchester had three children from his first marriage, Alice Evangeline, James Ridout and Marcus Lee.

After playing with the Astronautes in Quebec, and while appearing as a solo performer in coffee houses throughout eastern Canada, he was introduced to Robbie Robertson (then of The Band ) and Albert Grossman (then manager of Bob Dylan). Winchester made his first album, the acclaimed "Jesse Winchester" (which included his classic 'Yankee Lady,' 'Brand New Tennessee Waltz,' and 'Biloxi') with Grossman as his manager and Robertson as producer, which was released on the Bearsville label. He subsequently toured in Canada as an opening act for The Band. Jesse went on his own road tour of Canada in 1973-74 along with drummer Butch McDade of the subsequently formed Amazing Rhythm Aces. He has completed tours of both Australia and Europe as a performing musician.

Winchester recorded sporadically on several labels since 1970. Unable to tour in the U.S. until the 1977 Carter amnesty, he subsequently became best known for his excellent songwriting, despite being an equally accomplished singer and guitar and Keyboard player.

Commonly referred to as 'legendary', and acknowledged as one of the premier tunesmiths of the late twentieth century, his songs include "Yankee Lady", "Rhumba Man", "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz", "Mississippi, You're on My Mind", "Defying Gravity", "Freewheeler" and "Biloxi." They have been recorded by numerous artists including Patti Page, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Buffett, Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Jerry Garcia, Jerry Jeff Walker, Wilson Pickett, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Reba McEntire, David Ball (country music), Bonnie Raitt, Everly Brothers and Brewer & Shipley but his self professed favorite rendition of any song covered is that of Ed Bruce in his rendition of "Evil Angel".

Winchester's song "Step by Step" from Let the Rough Side Drag was used in the final episode of HBO's 'The Wire's first season.

While there was grace and gentle humor in Winchester's writing, his body of work also reveals an undercurrent of darker forces. His vantage point is often that of the outsider, longing for the South, restless, and willing to betray those he loves for the freedom of the road. The protagonist in Yankee Lady callously abandons the woman who takes him in, just as the singer in Freewheeler warns that he "would ride rough-shod over lovers...time and time again." Temptation and the eternal struggle between good and evil converge in Evil Angel, "first you start 'em with a little...'til they just can't get enough."

Winchester studied German and philosophy as a young man, and his introspective nature was disclosed by his many references to life's essential dualism: "if you know you're weak...that's what makes you strong"(That's What makes You Strong); "if I were free...I'd run and lock myself away with you"(If I Were Free); "but one day the high must lay low" (Defying Gravity).

As a consequence of sporadic album releases, there was a high demand for his work leading to multiple releases of unauthorized recordings. Like many other artists, Winchester took a strong stance against the release of so called Bootlegs and actively urged his listeners to support only the "Original thing".

Winchester’s final CD, "A Reasonable Amount of Trouble", was released in September 2014, with liner notes by his friend Jimmy Buffett. The album was nominated for two Grammy awards.

Payday
Jesse Winchester Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let`s go out on the town tonight
My pockets are heavy with loot
And get drunk and blasted
(And loud in your dress of blue)

I've been living from hand to mouth
It must be three or four weeks
And I can tell you one thing Jack

You listen when your stomach speaks

I feel good just like I knew that I would
And all on account of that wine that I bought today
I`m smiling so sweet
At every little girl that I meet
Some fools will try to tell you it`s a sin to feel this way

It feels so funny having all of this money
I think I feel like dancing the night away
I think I feel like dancing the night away

I got me this long legged girl
To help me to spend my dough
Her heart as big as your mama`s stove
And her body like Brigitte Bardot

I`m all ready for some Rock and Roll
With the guitar turned up loud
And the fancy footwork
And the (drunk) down, drugged up crowd

I feel good just like I knew that I would
All on account of that wine that I bought today
I`m smiling so sweet
At every little girl that I meet
Some fools will try to tell you it`s a sin to feel this way

It feels so funny having all of this money

I think I feel like dancing the night away
I think I feel like dancing the night away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jesse Winchester's song Payday evoke a feeling of pure joy and freedom. In the first verse, the singer revels in having money to spend on a night out on the town, after weeks of living from hand to mouth. The mention of being loud and drunk in a blue dress sets the scene for a carefree night full of laughter and dancing. The second verse introduces the long-legged girl who will help the singer spend his hard-earned cash. Her heart is as big as your mama's stove, and her body like Brigitte Bardot's, showcasing a desire for a wild, exciting night.

The chorus repeats the phrase "I feel good, just like I knew that I would," echoing the sentiments of James Brown's hit song. The singer attributes his good mood to the wine he bought that day, and he laughs in the face of those who would condemn his actions, saying that it's not a sin to feel this way. The verse ends with the singer feeling like dancing the night away, exuding a sense of liberation and happiness.

Overall, the lyrics of Payday paint a vivid picture of a man who has worked hard and is now celebrating his hard-earned cash in the most joyful way possible - on a night out, surrounded by friends and a long-legged girl. The lyrics capture the freedom and joy that come with having resources to have fun, and they provide a snapshot of carefree living that many people strive for.

Line by Line Meaning

Let`s go out on the town tonight
Let's go have fun tonight

My pockets are heavy with loot
I have a lot of money in my pockets

And get drunk and blasted
And get very drunk

(And loud in your dress of blue)
(And you can wear your loud blue dress)

I've been living from hand to mouth
I've been barely getting by

It must be three or four weeks
It's been three or four weeks since I had money

And I can tell you one thing Jack
I can tell you one thing, my friend

You listen when your stomach speaks
You pay attention when you're hungry

I feel good just like I knew that I would
I feel good and I expected to feel this way

And all on account of that wine that I bought today
And it's all because of that wine I bought today

I`m smiling so sweet
I'm smiling very happily