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.
I Know A Place
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know a place, where the sun don't shine
I know a place, where the girls do the talking
In the back of my mind, in the back of my mind
I know a place, little girl in your closet
Blood running high, got a knife in his hand
No daddy wouldn't do those things to his mama
So he opened that blade and he stabbed that man
I know a place, and it goes no further and where you are,
When you leave it behind
One piece of advice from one tom to another
Get out of your mind, get out of your mind
Get out of your mind, yeah
I know a place, I know a place.
The opening lyrics of Joe Bonamassa's "I Know A Place" create a vivid image of a sanctuary, a place where all is calm and peaceful. The mention of dogs not barking, sun not shining, and women doing the talking gives the impression of a place where there is no disturbance or interference. This utopian place seems to exist only in the singer's back of the mind, leaving the listener wondering if it is a place that truly exists or is just a figment of his imagination.
However, the second verse takes a dark and unexpected turn. The mention of a little girl in her closet, with a knife-wielding man on the loose, creates a frightening image of a violent crime. The mention of the perpetrator being the girl's father makes it even more disturbing. The line "so he opened that blade and he stabbed that man" adds to the tension and horror of the situation. The sudden shift from the serene place in the first verse to the gruesome scene in the second verse creates a sharp contrast that leaves the listener unsettled.
Overall, the song seems to be exploring the idea of finding solace and refuge from the chaos of the outside world. However, it also highlights that sometimes what seems perfect on the surface might hold hidden darkness within. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, taking the listener on a journey that is both calming and chilling.
Line by Line Meaning
I know a place, where the dogs ain't barking
I know a peaceful place where there is no chaos or disturbance like dogs barking.
I know a place, where the sun don't shine
I know a place where it is not too bright or too hot because there is no sun to shine.
I know a place, where the girls do the talking
I know a place where the women are confident and take the lead in conversations.
In the back of my mind, in the back of my mind
This is a recurring thought that echoes in the artist's subconscious.
I know a place, little girl in your closet
I know a disturbing situation that creates fear like a hidden girl in a closet.
Blood running high, got a knife in his hand
The situation is highly charged with violence as someone is holding a knife.
No daddy wouldn't do those things to his mama
The man with a knife is not the father, as the father would not harm the mother in such a way.
So he opened that blade and he stabbed that man
The man holding the knife took matters into his own hands and killed his victim.
I know a place, and it goes no further and where you are,
The place the artist knows is a secret and beyond that place, there is nowhere else to go.
When you leave it behind
When you move away from the place, you leave all its secrets and security behind.
One piece of advice from one tom to another
The singer has advice to give to someone like him, perhaps another musician or similar.
Get out of your mind, get out of your mind
The advice is to free oneself from negative thinking and self-doubt.
Get out of your mind, yeah
This is a repeated emphasis on the importance of freeing oneself from negative thoughts.
I know a place, I know a place.
The singer ends with a final statement about their knowledge of a special, secret place.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN HIATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind