Johnny Winter, along with his brother Edgar Winter, were nurtured at an early age by their parents in musical pursuits. Both he and his brother, who were born with albinism, began performing at an early age. When he was ten-years old, Winter appeared on a local children's show, playing ukelele and singing Everly Brothers songs with his brother.
His recording career began at the age of fifteen, when his band Johnny and the Jammers released "School Day Blues" on a Houston record label. During this same period, he was able to see performances by classic blues artists such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Bobby Bland. In the early days Winter would sometimes sit in with Roy Head and The Traits when they performed in the Beaumont, Texas area, and in 1967, Winter recorded a single with The Traits: "Tramp" backed with "Parchman Farm" (Universal Records 30496). In 1968, he released his first album The Progressive Blues Experiment, on Austin's Sonobeat Records.
Winter caught his biggest break in December 1968, when Mike Bloomfield, whom he met and jammed with in Chicago, invited him to sing and play a song during a Bloomfield and Al Kooper concert at the Fillmore East in New York. As it happened, representatives of Columbia Records (which had released the Top Ten Bloomfield/Kooper Super Session album) were at the concert. Winter played and sang B.B. King's "It's My Own Fault" to loud applause and, within a few days, was signed to reportedly what was then the largest advance in the history of the recording industry–$600,000.
Winter's first Columbia album, Johnny Winter was recorded and released in 1969. It featured the same backing musicians with whom he recorded The Progressive Blues Experiment, bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Uncle John Turner, plus Edgar Winter on keyboards and saxophone, and (for his "Mean Mistreater") blues legends Willie Dixon on upright bass and Big Walter Horton on harmonica. The album featured a few selections that became Winter signature songs, including his composition "Dallas" (an acoustic blues, on which Winter played a steel-bodied, resonator guitar), John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson's "Good Morning Little School Girl", and B.B. King's "Be Careful With A Fool".
The album's success coincided with Imperial Records picking up The Progressive Blues Experiment for wider release. The same year, the Winter trio toured and performed at several rock festivals, including Woodstock. With brother Edgar added as a full member of the group, Winter also recorded his second album, Second Winter in Nashville in 1969. The two-record album, which only had three recorded sides (the fourth was blank), introduced a couple more staples of Winter's concerts, including Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" and Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited".
In 1984, Winter began recording for several labels, including Alligator Records and Point Blank Records, where he has focused on blues-oriented material. He continues to perform live, including festivals throughout North America and Europe. Winter has headlined such prestigious events as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Chicago Blues Festival, Swedish Rock Fest, Warren Haynes X-mas jam, and Europe’s Rockpalast. He also performed with the Allman Brothers at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan on the 40th anniversary of their debut. In 2007 and 2010, Winter performed at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festivals. Two guitar instructional DVDs have been produced by Cherry Lane Music and the Hal Leonard Corporation. The Gibson Guitar Company released the signature Johnny Winter Firebird guitar in a ceremony in Nashville with Slash presenting.
In 2004, Winter received a Grammy nomination for his I’m a Bluesman album. Backing him are guitarist Paul Nelson, bassist Scott Spray, and drummer Vito Liuzzi. Beginning in 2007, a series of live Winter albums titled the Live Bootleg Series and a live DVD have all entered the Top 10 Billboard Blues charts. In 2009, The Woodstock Experience album was released, which includes eight songs that Winter performed at the 1969 festival. Johnny Winter is signed to Megaforce Records, who will release a new studio album titled Roots on September 27, 2011. It will include Winter's interpretation of eleven early blues and rock 'n' roll classics and feature several guest artists.
Winter produced three Grammy Award-winning albums by Muddy Waters, Hard Again (1977), I'm Ready (1978), and Muddy "Mississippi" Waters – Live (1979). Several Winter albums were also nominated for Grammy Awards. In 1980, Winter was on the cover of the first issue of Guitar World and in 1988, he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame.
All Tore Down
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slow down!!
You know I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
You know I'm all tore down
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
You know I never had nobody
Don't fool around with me
And now here come the whole world's army
Kicking me in the teeth
That's why I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
You know I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down
All tore down
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
Good God!
You know I went out to buy me a bottle
And try to soothe the pain
Before I left the cashier
He was hassling me about the change
That's why I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
Yeah, all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
Slow down!
Yeah!
whoooo!
Uhh!
I went home to sip my supper
And have me a peaceful night
But there at home with her rollers on
Was my rantin' ravin' wife
That's why I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
Wooh, I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
Do it!
Good God!
Huh!
The song "All Tore Down" by Johnny Winter is about feeling helpless and defeated. The repetition of the lyrics "I'm all tore down" emphasizes the feeling of being broken and beaten. The song talks about how the world is too fast-paced and overwhelming and the singer can't keep up. This is portrayed in the lyric "somebody tell the world to stop, or just slow down". The sense of loneliness and abandonment is also shown in the statement "you know I never had nobody, don't fool around with me". It's a cry for help to anyone who can relate and can offer comfort.
The second verse of the song refers to alcohol as a way to numb the pain. The lyric "you know I went out to buy me a bottle and try to soothe the pain" shows the desperation and hopelessness of the singer. However, the pain continues as even the cashier becomes a source of trouble for him. The song also talks about going home to find the singer's wife, who is also adding to the chaos of his life. This portrays the feeling of being trapped and unable to escape the problems that keep piling up.
Overall, "All Tore Down" is a powerful song about the hardships of life and feeling helpless in the face of them.
Line by Line Meaning
Oww!
Exclamation of pain or discomfort.
Slow down!!
Request for the world to slow down.
You know I'm all tore down
Acknowledgment of being overwhelmed and beaten down by the world.
I'm all tore down, yeah
Repetition of the feeling of being overwhelmed.
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
Paradoxical statement indicating the artist's resilience despite being beaten down by the world.
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
Request for the world to stop overwhelming the singer or at least slow its pace.
You know I never had nobody
Don't fool around with me
And now here come the whole world's army
Kicking me in the teeth
Statement of the singer's vulnerability followed by the difficulty they face as the world overpowers them.
All tore down
Restatement of the artist's feeling of being overwhelmed.
Good God!
Exclamation indicating frustration or disbelief.
You know I went out to buy me a bottle
And try to soothe the pain
Before I left the cashier
He was hassling me about the change
Narration of the artist's attempt to cope followed by an additional struggle they faced while trying to do so.
Yeah, all tore down
Reiteration of the singer's feeling of being overwhelmed.
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
Repetition of the request for the world to stop overwhelming the artist or at least slow its pace.
Wooh, I'm all tore down
Restatement of the singer's feeling of being overwhelmed.
I went home to sip my supper
And have me a peaceful night
But there at home with her rollers on
Was my rantin' ravin' wife
Narration of the singer's attempt to find peace followed by another struggle they faced at home.
Do it!
Command or encouragement to take action.
Huh!
Exclamation indicating surprise or confusion.
Contributed by Matthew E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sharon wolf
╰⊰✿.R◎CK IN PEACE JOHNNY WINTER.✿⊱╮
..ღ ღ ღ . …Oww!
You know I'm all, all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
You know I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
[Instrumental]
You know I never had nobody
Don't fool around with me
And now here come the whole world's army
Kicking me in the teeth
That's why I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
You know I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
Get down!
You know I went out to buy me a bottle
And try to soothe the pain
Before I left the cashier
He was f-ing me about the change
That's why I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
Yeah, all tore down
I'm all tore down, yeah
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
Slow down!
Yeah!
[Instrumental]
I went home to sip my supper
And have me a peaceful night
But there at home was the roller's own
With my rantin' ravin' wife
That's why I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down
I'm standing up tall
With my back flat on the ground
Wooh, I'm all tore down
I'm all tore down
Somebody tell the world to stop
Or just slow down
[Instrumental]
Do it!
Get down!
Huh!
Heath Chappell
We know he will be remembered as one of the premier guitarists. This reminds me that he was one of the all-time great rock singers✌
Chip Munk
Back in high school in the early 70s was when I was introduced to Johnny Winter with the Johnny Winter Live And album, and followed that with Still Alive and Well, and Saints and Sinners. These 3 albums were what started my preference for good blues based rock. Was always a mystery to me why his guitar ability and music never got the attention and recognition it deserved. There will never be another Johnny Winter.
keith armstrong
Fantastic record folks. This guy is a living legend. If ya think it sounds good digitally, try listening to it on vinyl......whoa its smokin!
ontariobuds
My parents bought me a turntable for Christmas and the first thing I did after Dark Side was me searching for a Johnny Winter album, I chose still alive and well.
RazorCatheter
No other record seemed to capture this vibe though....Absolutely stunning. That's what you call "DONT FUCK WITH ME ROCK & ROLL."
ontariobuds
If Bad Ass Rock and Roller is not on his gravestone it should be.
Robert McAllister
You nailed it
Jim Gouwens
Yep, and produced by Rick Derringer, writer of some of Johnny's biggest and best songs.
TroubadourJuggernaut
@rightwingthug exactly ...... one of the most bad ass records of all time !!
Albert Britschgi
one of my first albums !!! kicks ass today too !!!