Bonamassa was born in Utica, New York. He started playing guitar at age four, encouraged by his father, who was an avid music fan and exposed him to British blues rock records by Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, greatly inspiring him. At 11 years old Joe was mentored and trained by American guitar legend, Danny Gatton. When he was 12 years old, he had his own band called Smokin' Joe Bonamassa, which gigged around western New York and Pennsylvania, including cities such as Scranton and Buffalo, but only on weekends since Joe had school on weekdays. Bonamassa played a crimson 1972 Fender Stratocaster he called "Rosie", which his father had bought in Utica, New York.
When he was 12 years old, Bonamassa opened for B.B. King. In the last 13 years Bonamassa has put out 15 solo albums through his independent record label J&R Adventures, of which 11 have reached number 1 on the Billboard Blues charts. Bonamassa has played alongside such artists as Stephen Stills, Eric Clapton, Blondie Chaplin, Foreigner, Buddy Guy, Steve Winwood, Warren Haynes, Solomon Hicks,and Derek Trucks among others.[4] His career highlights include performances at the Royal Albert Hall and has had three Grammy Award nominations in 2013, for his collaboration album with Beth Hart "Seesaw", in 2016 for the album "Live at the Greek Theatre" and 2022 for the album "Royal Tea". In addition to his music career, Joe Bonamassa runs a nonprofit organisation called the Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, whose mission is to further music education by funding scholarships and providing music education resources to schools in need. in 2020, he added an extension to the foundation. Called Fuelling Musicians, it provides $1500 cheques to struggling musicians affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
in 2021, he broke his own record for having more #1 Billboard blues albums than anyone in history. The album "Time Clocks" clocked up his 25th #1 album.
He is also known for his enormous collection of vintage guitars and related gear.
Black Lung Heartache
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm just made of dirt
Of this Earth I traveled
Like a shepherd and his herd
And I said hang on, hang on
Black lung heartache
These green hills I mind
And if I plow tend my children
Who will be by the side?
And I said hang on, hang on
Black Lung Heartache
I've shed many tears
Seems I can't shed no more
You can see them on the table
You can see 'em on the floor
Now I said hang on, hang on
Black lung heartache
I've seen many men
They become hard as nails
Carrying the hammers like keys to a jail
Now I said hang on, hang on
Black lung heartache
Now I said so long, so long
Black lung heartache
The song "Black Lung Heartache" by Joe Bonamassa speaks of the struggles of working-class Americans, particularly those who work in the mines. The first verse sets the tone for the song, as the singer describes himself as a man made of dirt, a product of the Earth he travels. The second verse speaks of the modest life he leads, attending to his children and tending to his land, yet facing the harsh realities of black lung disease. The chorus of the song repeats throughout: "Hang on, hang on, Black Lung Heartache," serving almost as a mantra of surviving and persevering through hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm a man of the mountain
I am a rugged and resilient individual who has lived a life of simplicity and strength.
I'm just made of dirt
I am a humble and grounded person who is connected to their environment.
Of this Earth I traveled
I have journeyed through life with a deep appreciation for the natural world around me.
Like a shepherd and his herd
I have led myself and others through life's highs and lows, guided by a strong sense of purpose.
And I said hang on, hang on
I am pleading with myself and others to persevere and stay strong in the face of hardship.
Black lung heartache
The pain of my labor and struggle has taken a toll on my physical and emotional well-being.
I sleep in a modest house
I am content with a simple life and do not need extravagance to find happiness.
These green hills I mind
I am a caretaker of my land and take pride in preserving its natural beauty.
And if I plow tend my children
By working hard and nurturing my family, I am ensuring that they will thrive and be successful.
Who will be by the side?
But who will be there to support me through my struggles and help me carry on?
I've shed many tears
I have endured great hardships and sadness, and have wept at times for the pain I have experienced.
Seems I can't shed no more
It feels as though I have exhausted my emotional capacity to cope with any more pain or sadness.
You can see them on the table
My tears are visible and tangible evidence of the pain that I have experienced.
You can see 'em on the floor
My tears have accumulated and soaked into the ground, a reminder of the hardships I have faced.
I've seen many men
Through my experiences, I have observed many individuals who have also faced great hardship and adversity.
They become hard as nails
Many of these individuals become toughened and unbreakable, a testament to their resilience.
Carrying the hammers like keys to a jail
These individuals often carry with them the tools of their trade, but also the burden of their past struggles and hardships.
Now I said so long, so long
Having endured much pain and sadness, I am finally ready to say goodbye to my black lung heartache.
Black lung heartache
The pain of my labor and struggle has taken a toll on my physical and emotional well-being.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Joe Bonamassa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Russell Sullivan
It's like a combination of blues and metal, with the kind of story you'd hear in a bluegrass song.
premeditated roadkill
well this is certainly going on my RDR2 playlist (coughs)
The EveryMan
Got a link? I need music for the 70 gold medal grind
Caleb Gilman
I'm actually online right now haha
Daniel Vineyard
Same actually
Person
araska I think you got TB
pamela cairns
This song is one of many that shows that Joe Bonamassa is able to identify with many groups of people across different walk of life. He captures the South in such a way that you could believe he was from the south. His music ranges from Bluegrass Blues to rock and roll. I don't think he can be pin hole. I saw 2 shows within less than a month of each other. One in Orlando and one in Durham North Carolina. They were different and both awesome. If you have not seen him in concert you have no idea just how talented he is. I thought I knew until I saw him live. His show in Orlando was the best concert I've ever seen. His parents were there and you could tell he played his heart out. And the people that thumbs down his music I'm just wondering what kind of music do you like? Something from an elevator Maybe?
Cap't Krabs Seafood
One of my favorite songs. Love to listen to it while bush hogging on my tractors great working song.
Chris Bates
:)
e a
this always reminds me of my aspirations to live alone in the mountains one day