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.
No Slack
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
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Since the day my life has become estranged
Well, that's okay, you just put on that face
But in your heart I know of another place
So here we are, now we're just worlds apart
But were we any closer at the start?
Something so alone, you want somebody
(Oh baby) now that the feeling's gone
I believe that I've done no wrong
'Cause I've tried hard to get you back, baby
But you just wouldn't cut me no slack
Now that it's gone, now that we've walked away
Now that we've both started a brand new day
I'm lookin' back, I'm lookin' at your face
I'm lookin', and all I see is empty space
So here we are, now we're just worlds apart
But were we any closer at the start?
Something so alone, you want somebody
But you're still on your own
Oh baby, now that the feeling's gone
I believe that I've done no wrong
'Cause I've tried hard to get you back, baby
But you just wouldn't cut me no slack
But I gots to have ya
Now that I know the cost, baby
Something's gonna change my mind
But I don't have the luxury of time no more
Oh, no more time, baby
Now that the feeling's gone
I believe that I've done no wrong
'Cause I've tried hard to get you back, baby
But you just wouldn't cut me no slack
Now that the feeling's gone
I believe that I've done no wrong
'Cause I've tried hard to get you back, baby
But you just wouldn't cut me no slack
Oh no
Just wouldn't cut me no slack now
Now that the feeling's gone
Oh, no more time, baby
Yeah, now that the feeling's gone
The lyrics to Joe Bonamassa's song "No Slack" tell the story of a failed relationship, where one person has changed and left the other behind. The singer admits that the person may have put on a façade to pretend that everything is fine, but they know that deep down that person is still hurting and looking for something more. The two are now worlds apart and looking back at what they once had, the singer sees nothing but emptiness. The feeling is gone, and although the singer has tried to reconcile with their partner, they have not been given any slack. They realise that they cannot wait any longer for things to change, and they must move on.
The repetition of the phrase "now that the feeling's gone" emphasises the loss and finality of the situation. The singer recognises that despite their efforts to fix the relationship, things have not worked out, and it is time to let go. The use of the phrase "cut me no slack" implies that the other person is unwilling to give any leeway or forgiveness, adding to the feeling of disillusionment and disappointment.
Overall, "No Slack" is a poignant reflection on the end of a relationship, where one person has changed and left the other behind. The singer has tried to make things work, but they have realised that they cannot keep waiting for someone who is not willing to meet them halfway.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody told me that you had changed
I heard that you are not the same person you used to be
Since the day my life has become estranged
Since then, everything has been different in my life
Well, that's okay, you just put on that face
It's fine if you pretend to be someone you're not
But in your heart I know of another place
Deep down, you have different feelings and thoughts
So here we are, now we're just worlds apart
We have grown apart and are now distant from each other
But were we any closer at the start?
Even at the beginning, were we truly close?
Something so alone, you want somebody
You feel lonely and want to be with someone
But you're still on your own
But you're still alone and can't find what you're looking for
(Oh baby) now that the feeling's gone
Now that the love is gone
I believe that I've done no wrong
I don't think I've done anything to cause this
'Cause I've tried hard to get you back, baby
I have put in a lot of effort to try and get you back
But you just wouldn't cut me no slack
But you won't give me a break or a chance to make it right
Now that it's gone, now that we've walked away
Now that our relationship is over and we've gone our separate ways
Now that we've both started a brand new day
We have both moved on and started new lives
I'm lookin' back, I'm lookin' at your face
I'm reflecting on the past and looking at your face
I'm lookin', and all I see is empty space
But all I see is emptiness and nothingness
But I gots to have ya
But I need you in my life
Now that I know the cost, baby
Now that I understand the price of losing you
Something's gonna change my mind
Something will make me change my thoughts on this situation
But I don't have the luxury of time no more
But I don't have the time to wait any longer
Oh no more time, baby
I can't wait any longer
Now that the feeling's gone
Now that the love is gone
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JOSEPH L BONAMASSA, MARK DENIS LIZOTTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind