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.
Miss You Hate You
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's where I broke down and cried
Down by the river
That's where I lay down and died
Going down to the river
For as long as I can stand
Mama told me "Son,"
"Water runs so deep,
Deep as all my pain,"
Down by the river, honey
Lord, can I be saved?
I said down by the river
That's where I broke down and cried
I said down by the river
That's where I broke down and cried
I said down by the river
Heartaches soaked in wine
I'm just lookin' for redemption
For that wanderin' soul of mine
Pull me to my knees
As I drown in the pouring rain
Down by the river, honey
I still see your face
Sometimes around midnight
They'd come knocking at my door
I said sometimes around midnight,
Hell hounds found what they're looking for
Well those flashing lights told me
Didn't have to say a word
Someone took my baby
Someone took away my world
All they found was a letter
I should never have let her go
The river's the only witness
The only one who knows
And the wind whispers her name
And all the lonesome years
Water turns to whiskey
I drown in my own tears
Down by the river
I see my life in flames
Down by the river honey
I call out your name
I call out your name
I call out your name
The lyrics of “Miss You Hate You” by Joe Bonamassa are about heartbreak, loss, and redemption. The singer is crushed by a broken heart and his desperation is so acute that he feels a need to go down to the river to find some relief from his agony. It seems as if he has lost it all and does not know where to go. The river acts as a symbolic witness to his pain and he hopes that it can bring him salvation.
The song is full of sorrow and regret, and the lyrics communicate the idea that the singer is yearning for something that he has lost and cannot get back. He feels like he is drowning in his own tears and needs someone to help him find redemption. Interestingly, towards the end of the song, the singer almost seems to have an epiphany about his life, and he realizes that the only thing he can do is to call out to his lover who has left him to try and win back her heart.
Overall, “Miss You Hate You” is a melancholy and introspective song that speaks to the pain that love can sometimes bring.
Line by Line Meaning
Down by the river
The location of the singer's emotional breakdown
That's where I broke down and cried
The singer is overwhelmed with emotions and sheds tears
That's where I lay down and died
The singer is emotionally deadened
Going down to the river
The artist is revisiting the traumatic location
For as long as I can stand
The artist plans to withstand the emotional impact of the visit
Mama told me "Son,"
as she took a hold of my hand
The singer's mother offers comfort and support
"Water runs so deep,
Deep as all my pain,"
The singer's pain is as deep as the river
Down by the river, honey
Lord, can I be saved?
The artist questions if there is hope for redemption
Heartaches soaked in wine
The artist numbs his pain with alcohol
I'm just lookin' for redemption
For that wanderin' soul of mine
The artist seeks liberation for his wandering spirit
Pull me to my knees
As I drown in the pouring rain
The singer is overwhelmed by emotions and the heavy rain amplifies his despair
I still see your face
The artist is still haunted by memories of a lost loved one
Sometimes around midnight
They'd come knocking at my door
The singer is hounded by intrusive memories
Hell hounds found what they're looking for
The emotional torment has reached its peak
Well those flashing lights told me
Didn't have to say a word
The singer receives news of a tragedy and no words are necessary
Someone took my baby
Someone took away my world
The traumatic event will forever alter the artist's existence
All they found was a letter
I should never have let her go
The artist regrets the end of the relationship but feels he has lost control
The river's the only witness
The only one who knows
The river silently observes everything and retains its secrets
And the wind whispers her name
And all the lonesome years
Water turns to whiskey
I drown in my own tears
The singer remains heartbroken and attempts to ease his pain with alcohol
I see my life in flames
The artist is consumed by grief
I call out your name
The artist is still reaching out to his lost love
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: JOSEPH BONAMASSA, RICHARD G. FELDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Johannes Klan
i never knew that joe was making such a pop-song in some point of his work. it's kind of weird to see him in such a video. but it's a nice song. it shows where he starts in his career and what kind evolution he did to come to the music he plays now. very cool, that he and his team uplaod some early stuff here. please keep going and surprise me some more times.
jimkon1479
What a shame MTV doesn't play music videos any more otherwise Joe would probably be a household name. It seems like no matter where you look talent isn't respected like it used to. Thank God I found him.
Myanna Magic
Totally agree🎸
Dee Lee
Love it.. Bonamassa is a guitar God in my eyes.. Love his voice too! I'm a true Bonaholic! Going to see him live for the second time next month.. Can't wait!!
Timliu92
It really is nice to see how Joe started his career and how he constantly evolves throughout the years to eventually become one of the greatest guitarists of our generation. 😎😎
Donn Russell
Another great tune! The man, the legend Joe Bonamassa!
dw1640isdukew714
So used to seeing Joe as the consummate musician and singer. This was a shocker -- it's raw, it's unpolished, and you can taste the pain. It's interesting to see where he came from, and how far he's come. You rock, Joe -- literally.
Rosita Chadronet
This was a shock for me! He was adorable here, and oh yeah, he's the greatest blues/rock guitarist around! This just came up on YouTube and if I didn't know who it was, I would have never guessed. I am one of his most loyal fans and adore him! 🌹 rosita
Wanberle
Q musica linda! Me apaixonei profundamente por ela... Tá difícil parar de ouvi-la.
C Hmmm
Love this tune !!!! Great job Joe!!!’