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.
Blues Deluxe
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I sure think I got it bad, yeah
I don't know too much about love, baby, now
But I sure think I got it bad, yeah
Some people say love is just a gamble
Ooh, whatever it is about to drive me mad, yeah
I sit here in my lonely room now
As I sit here in my lonely room now
Tears flowin' down my eyes
I wonder how you can treat me so low, down and dirty
You know what?
Your heart must be made out of ice, yeah
Sometimes I get so worried, baby, now
You know I wanna sit down and cry myself to sleep
Sometimes I get so worried, baby, now
You know I wanna sit down and cry myself to sleep
'Cause I don't know too much about love, babe
But I sure think I, sure think I, got it bad, yeah
Oh, I sure think I got it bad, yeah
In Joe Bonamassa's song Blues Deluxe, the singer sings about his struggles with love. He starts off by admitting his lack of understanding about love, but insists that he has it bad. He then goes on to express his pain and confusion as he is left alone in his room, with tears streaming down his face. Despite his sincerity, his lover treats him terribly, and he wonders how someone can be so cold-hearted. The singer's anguish is palpable as he worries and contemplates crying himself to sleep. The repetition of the line "I don't know too much about love, babe, but I sure think I got it bad," emphasizes his helplessness and the depth of his feelings.
The lyrics showcase the singer's vulnerability and emotional turmoil as he navigates a tumultuous relationship. His relatable experiences of heartbreak and uncertainty are conveyed through raw and emotive language, making the song resonate with many listeners. The bluesy style of the music further enhances the song's emotional impact, with the distinctive electric guitar riffs adding depth and intensity to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know too much about love, baby, now
I am uncertain about love and my knowledge about it is limited
But I sure think I got it bad, yeah
However, I am really suffering from it
Some people say love is just a gamble
There are people who think that love is a risky game
Ooh, whatever it is about to drive me mad, yeah
But, whatever it is, it is making me crazy
I sit here in my lonely room now
I am alone in my room, with no one to talk to
Tears flowin' down my eyes
I am crying uncontrollably and my tears won't stop
I wonder how you can treat me so low, down and dirty
I am confused about how someone can treat me so badly
You know what?
Do you know what I mean?
Your heart must be made out of ice, yeah
I believe that your heart is cold and unfeeling
Sometimes I get so worried, baby, now
Occasionally, I feel anxious and concerned
You know I wanna sit down and cry myself to sleep
At times, I just want to lie down and cry myself to sleep
'Cause I don't know too much about love, babe
This is because I have very little understanding of love
But I sure think I, sure think I, got it bad, yeah
Despite my limited knowledge, I am really suffering from it
Oh, I sure think I got it bad, yeah
I am really struggling with love and it is causing me a lot of pain
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin Donley
This guy is so special n his incredible band, that I'm left speechless every single time I hear n see and feel his band preform. Not in my wildest dreams could even have imagined that this could be in this day and age! Magnificent! And I'm 64. Wow.❤👍💯💯
Marie-andre Desmurs
👏👏👏👏👏👏🎸👍
Tina Brown
No place to hide if you get anything wrong - not saturated in distortion or effects. Gary Moore level talent.
fiddlefolk
Joe just killing the shit out of it! One of the greatest guitarists ever but his singing is just as damn good! Wow!!!! I can hear shades of BB King in there...
Charlie Weeberry
It's sad to know that there are so many people in the audience not knowing that they witnessed absolute perfection, but at the same time I'm glad they did. Absolutely incredible.
Mike Silcox
One of the best blues players ever
Rafael Passos
Que maravilha de ouvir, um clássico. 🎶
RayzTeeZ
Everytime I listen to Joe I am amazed at how precise his notes are.
Honey
This guys incredible I listened to this song for 6 hours straight on repeat no stopping during work and was not bored even for a second, instead every single time I listened I heard something new in each take, Joe u are incredible guitar Master brother
Gene Fowler
The tastiest notes i've ever heard on a Les Paul or any guitar for that matter.