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.
When One Door Opens
Joe Bonamassa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way waters part
Go straight up to my neck
Heard no warnings of the wreck
Had a shot to top it all
Never feared the fall
A lifetime of gold
Hope it lasts until I'm old
Are you a tycoon or a Moses?
Do you see what light exposes?
Every time one door opens
One closes on me
Are you a time clock or a wrist watch?
A minuteman or a door lock
Every time one door opens
One closes on me
To be king of the heap
Don't matter if you sleep
I was cool to be steered
Thinked and missed, the abyss is near
Champagne all the ready
My hands never steady
My head's always down
All around I hear the sounds
Are you a tycoon or a Moses?
Do you see what light exposes?
Every time one door opens
One closes on me
Are you a time clock or a wrist watch?
A minuteman or a door lock
Every time one door opens
One closes on me
Lay me deep in my grave
Lay me down with a silver spade
There's a long road for a man
Long road that has no end
Eight white horses in a line
Eight white horses outta time
Gonna lay me down
Lay me deep in that cold ground
In all of you I confide
All my demons inside
Execution's been stayed
No decisions have been made
The song "When One Door Opens" by Joe Bonamassa appears to be about the ups and downs of life and how one door opening can mean another door closing. The song starts with the singer reflecting on a life-altering experience that left him feeling vulnerable but optimistic. He describes a moment "close to the heart" where he took a chance and "had a shot to top it all" without fearing the fall. He hopes that his newfound success lasts until he's old. However, the singer contrasts his success with the reality that every time one door opens, another one closes. He questions whether he's a tycoon or a Moses, able to see the light that exposes everything, or a time clock or a wristwatch, constantly ticking away. It's clear that while he may have climbed to the top, he's still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The chorus of the song seems to echo the sentiment of the verses. The singer repeats the line "Every time one door opens, one closes on me" while questioning whether he's a minute man or a door lock. The lyrics suggest that he's grappling with his own sense of purpose and worth and whether he's living life to the fullest. He fears that despite his success, he's missing something important.
The song's final verse sees the singer referencing his own mortality. He imagines himself being laid to rest with "eight white horses in a line" and reflects on his inner demons. However, he seems to leave the song on a hopeful note, saying that "execution's been stayed, no decisions have been made." It could imply that he's determined to keep moving forward despite the inevitable challenges life throws his way.
Line by Line Meaning
It starts close to the heart
It begins with something that is emotionally meaningful or significant.
The way waters part
The way things move or change direction.
Go straight up to my neck
The feeling of being overwhelmed or out of control.
Heard no warnings of the wreck
There were no signs of the disaster that was about to happen.
Had a shot to top it all
Had an opportunity to succeed.
Never feared the fall
Was not afraid of failure.
A lifetime of gold
A life filled with valuable experiences.
Hope it lasts until I'm old
Hoping that these experiences will continue throughout life.
Are you a tycoon or a Moses?
Do you have power and wealth like a tycoon or are you a leader like Moses?
Do you see what light exposes?
Are you able to see the truth when it is revealed.
Every time one door opens
Whenever a new opportunity presents itself.
One closes on me
However, there is always something that is taken away or lost.
Are you a time clock or a wrist watch?
Do you work on a scheduled timeline or are you more flexible like a wrist watch?
A minuteman or a door lock
Are you someone who can act quickly like a minuteman or someone who is dependable and reliable like a door lock?
To be king of the heap
To be on top of everything.
Don't matter if you sleep
Even if you are not constantly working, you can still maintain your position.
I was cool to be steered
I was willing to be guided or controlled by others.
Thinked and missed, the abyss is near
Thought about options, but ultimately made the wrong choice.
Champagne all the ready
Celebration is already planned.
My hands never steady
Nerves or anxiety cause lack of control.
My head's always down
Feeling defeated or hopeless.
All around I hear the sounds
Constant noise and activity happening around you.
Lay me deep in my grave
Reference to death or finality.
Lay me down with a silver spade
Describing the funeral process.
There's a long road for a man
Life is a challenging journey.
Long road that has no end
Life is a journey with no conclusion.
Eight white horses in a line
Reference to funeral processions.
Eight white horses outta time
Funeral procession is not moving as planned.
Gonna lay me down
Final resting place.
Lay me deep in that cold ground
Describing the burial process.
In all of you I confide
Putting trust in others or seeking support.
All my demons inside
Dealing with emotional or mental struggles internally.
Execution's been stayed
Decision has been postponed or delayed.
No decisions have been made
Uncertainty or lack of resolution in a situation.
Writer(s): Peter Brown, Kevin Shirley, Joseph L Bonamassa
Contributed by Evan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MulligansBand
Joe is THE last guitar hero and me being British, I'm so grateful for his affinity for British Blues heritage. This album sounds gorgeous throughout. He has become the authority on tone and that expertise is fully evidenced on this record. I highly recommend supporting this classy shredder.
@rossco6651
Didn't know much about Joe Bonamassa but my old man likes his stuff. This has won me over. Best song I've heard in a long time, love it.
@nickgravelding26
The critics that label JB as "boring" or "just another blues player" do not listen songs like this! Incredible stuff!! EPIC song! His guitar work goes w/o saying but he should get more recognition for his songwriting and singing. Fucking great song!!!
@Lerxst101
I’m speechless. Yes, I hear influences from other sings, but as always, Joe takes the music to another level. His continuing growth and maturity, as well as his willingness to explore different directions with his music, is so refreshing. With such a talented producer in Kevin, and his band mates, I think they all push each other to levels they couldn’t do alone. Well done!
@eliodiliberto4665
This song is a masterpiece. The lyrics mean so much to me. The melody is fantastic and Reese Wynans is the greatest keabord master
@stevedevall413
I loved that tune. I love how it builds in the first half, then explodes in the second half, then mellows at the end. Fantastic, Joe.
@roseh143
Kinda like life
❤
@TJjjjjjjjjjj
Killer simple riff aswell
@judaspriestshrine
This is, by far, one of his best songs ever. I'm blown away.
@brianaragon5490
Good stuff manerd