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.
Under the Radar
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just to ride a little high.
You were in the ground to taste a bluer sweeter sky.
Something's got to give, yeah - nothing lasts this long.
It's hard to hear you say,
Your breaking up, your signal's fading.
Peace of mind, a space in time,
A part of you you'll never find.
Now you're caught under the radar.
Breathe a little faster,
This could be your time.
You can't be honest with yourself while living out that same old lie.
I can't reach for something you won't let me see.
It's hard to hear you say,
Your breaking up, your signal's fading.
Now you're caught under the radar.
Peace of mind, a space in time,
A part of you you'll never find.
Now you're caught under the radar.
It's hard to hear you say,
Your breaking up, your signal's fading.
Now you're caught under the radar.
Peace of mind, a space in time,
A part of you you'll never find.
Now you're caught under the radar.
Oh yeah...
The song "Under the Radar" by Joe Bonamassa is a powerful track about the struggles of addiction and the desire to break free from it. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is sinking lower and lower in order to get high, all while trying to maintain the facade of their old life. The line "You were in the ground to taste a bluer sweeter sky" suggests the desperation that the person is feeling and how they are willing to risk losing everything for the sake of their addiction. However, the chorus also suggests that there is still hope for this person to break free from their destructive habits.
The lyrics suggest that the addiction has caused them to lose their sense of self and they are trapped "under the radar" unable to fully connect with those around them. The line "A part of you you'll never find" paints a picture of someone who is lost to themselves.
The song is a powerful commentary on addiction and the struggles that come with it. It reminds us that no matter how lost we may feel, there is always the possibility of redemption and breaking free from our destructive habits.
Line by Line Meaning
You were sinking lower,
You were steadily declining.
Just to ride a little high.
You were willing to do anything to feel a moment of euphoria.
You were in the ground to taste a bluer sweeter sky.
You hit rock bottom in order to experience a better life that was worth living.
Something's got to give, yeah - nothing lasts this long.
Change is inevitable and everything has a limit.
It's hard to hear you say,
It's difficult to listen to what you're saying.
Your breaking up, your signal's fading.
Your mental state is deteriorating and you're losing touch with reality.
Now you're caught under the radar.
You're going unnoticed and unseen, without anyone noticing your struggles.
Peace of mind, a space in time,
A calm state of mental well-being, a moment of respite from the chaos of life.
A part of you you'll never find.
There are certain aspects of yourself that will always remain lost.
Breathe a little faster,
Take a deep breath and feel the excitement of the moment.
This could be your time.
This could be the moment for you to seize the opportunity and make a change.
You can't be honest with yourself while living out that same old lie.
You can't live a dishonest life and expect to be content with yourself.
I can't reach for something you won't let me see.
I can't help you if you don't allow me to understand your struggles.
Oh yeah...
An interjection indicating enthusiasm or agreement.
Contributed by Cameron C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.