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.
Steal Your Heart Away
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, hey, hey, yeah, you will finally be mine
[Chorus]
Steal your heart away, baby!
Steal your heart away, yeah!
I want to steal your heart away
Yes I do and I have to say
Hey, hey, hey yeah,
I ain't asking about your man
Hey, hey, hey yeah,
I want to hold you tight as I can
[Chorus]
Well my, my momma told me
When I was five years old
You want to be stone killer son,
When you grow up, and get your own soul.
[Chorus]
Hey, hey, hey yeah, you are, you're so fine
Hey, hey, hey yeah, you will finally be mine
[Chorus]
In Joe Bonamassa's "Steal Your Heart Away," the main character is utilizing his charm to try and win over a woman. He's got his sights set on her heart, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to steal it away from anyone else who might be in the picture. He's not asking about her current relationship status; all he knows is that he wants to hold her tight and make her his own. Despite the potentially questionable intentions behind his actions, his desire is clear and he's not afraid to express it.
The lyrics also touch on a childhood memory the main character has of his mother telling him to be a "stone killer" when he grows up. This phrase carries connotations of being assertive and unscrupulous in one's pursuits, which could be interpreted as a nod to the main character's current intentions with the woman he's pursuing. However, the lyrics don't expand on this idea further, leaving room for interpretation as to how it relates to the song's overall message.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey, hey, yeah, you are, you're so fine
Expressing admiration towards the lady, acknowledging how attractive she is
Hey, hey, hey, yeah, you will finally be mine
Exhibiting confidence in his ability to win her heart over soon
Steal your heart away, baby!
Wanting to win her affection completely, hoping to steal her heart
Steal your heart away, yeah!
Reiterating the desire to steal her heart, to gain her love
I want to steal your heart away
A clear statement of intent, desiring to be with her
Yes I do and I have to say
Confirming his strong desire and urge to pursue her
Hey, hey, hey yeah, I ain't asking about your man
Disregarding the fact that she is seeing someone else, showing persistence with his attraction towards her
Hey, hey, hey yeah, I want to hold you tight as I can
Expressing genuine desire to hold her close and never let her go
Well my, my momma told me
Recalling a piece of advice given by his mother
When I was five years old
Indicating how early in his life the advice was taught to him
You want to be stone killer son,
Advising him to be strong-willed, determined and focused
When you grow up, and get your own soul.
Reinforcing the importance of staying true to oneself, being independent and possessing strong moral values.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOE BONAMASSA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind