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.
The Meaning Of The Blues
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what it means to be, be by yourself?
Do you know what it means when there's no one to bring you good news?
Then you know, you know the meaning of the blues
Do you know what it means to cry alone?
And what it means to cry by yourself?
Do you know what it means to love a woman you can't own?
I've been weeping and weeping,
Moaning and moaning,
Crying and sighing all the day
I've been hiding my tears
Feel like dying
Wishing love would come to stay
And do you know what it means when the lord is taken away?
I cry, oh I cry
Oh I cry everyday
Yes I know what it means to walk alone
And how it feels to walk by myself
Yes I know what it means to love a woman you can?t own
Yes I do,
I know the meaning of the blues
Yes I know the meaning of the blues
Woo-hoo
The lyrics of Joe Bonamassa's song "The Meaning of the Blues" capture the essence of loneliness, heartbreak and despair in the simplest yet profound manner. The song's opening questions are introspective and evoke a sense of isolation, prompting the listener to reflect on the feelings of being alone. The second verse paints a picture of a person dealing with unrequited love, someone who loves a woman, but circumstances prevent them from being together or owning their feelings. The pain and agony that such a situation can cause are expressed through the lyrics, "I've been weeping and weeping, moaning, and moaning, crying, and sighing all day."
The song's chorus brings together the two verses and their individual feelings of loneliness and heartbreak, to allude to the titular idea of "the meaning of the blues." The lyrics suggest that true understanding and connection to the blues come from knowing and experiencing these deep and personal emotions first-hand. The final verse talks about the loss of someone important, and the feelings of grief that ensue- which further establishes the idea of personal pain and isolation being an essential ingredient in the blues. In essence, the song is an acknowledgement of pain and suffering as vital components that make the blues genre so powerful and relevant.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know what it means to walk alone?
Have you ever walked without a companion and felt the isolation?
And what it means to be, be by yourself?
Have you ever been completely by yourself and felt what it's like?
Do you know what it means when there's no one to bring you good news?
Have you ever been without good news that someone else may bring you?
Then you know, you know the meaning of the blues
If you've experienced these things, then you understand the essence of the blues.
Do you know what it means to cry alone?
Have you ever cried with no one in the room to comfort you?
And what it means to cry by yourself?
Have you ever cried in solitary circumstances?
Do you know what it means to love a woman you can't own?
Have you ever experienced the feeling of loving someone but not being able to make her yours?
If you do, then you know the meaning of the blues
If you've gone through these trials, then you have a deep understanding of the blues.
I've been weeping and weeping,
I have cried a lot, nonstop.
Moaning and moaning,
I have also groaned and been in anguish.
Crying and sighing all the day
All day long, I've been weeping and sighing.
I've been hiding my tears
I have kept my tears hidden from others and not shown them.
Feel like dying
I am so overcome with emotion that I feel like I am dying inside.
Wishing love would come to stay
I long for the love that will not leave me.
And do you know what it means when the lord is taken away?
Do you understand how it feels when a vital person is absent from your life?
I cry, oh I cry
I cry intensely, and I keep crying.
Oh I cry everyday
Every day, I am weeping and filled with sorrow.
Yes I know what it means to walk alone
I understand the feeling of being lonely and isolated.
And how it feels to walk by myself
I know exactly how it feels to have nobody by my side.
Yes I know what it means to love a woman you can?t own
I have experienced the pain of loving someone I cannot have.
Yes I do,
Absolutely, I do.
I know the meaning of the blues
I have a deep understanding of the blues and what it represents.
Woo-hoo
An exclamation of sentiment on the part of the singer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEAH WORTH, BOBBY TROUP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind