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.
Bony Maronie
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's as skinny as a stick of macaroni.
Ought to see her rock and roll with her blue jeans on.
She's not very fat, just skin and bone.
But I love her and she loves me.
We're all happy now as we can be.
Making love underneath the apple tree.
Just exactly what I want to do.
I want to get married on a night in June,
And rock and roll by the light of the silvery moon.
Cause I love her and she loves me,
We're all happy now as we can be.
Making love underneath the apple tree.
She's my one and only, she's my heart's desire.
She's a real up setter, she's a real live wire.
Everybody turns when my baby goes by.
She's something to see, she really catches the eye.
I love her and she loves me,
We're all happy now, as we can be.
Making love underneath the apple tree.
The lyrics to Johnny Winter's song "Bony Maronie" describe a skinny girl named Bony Moronie who loves to rock and roll in her blue jeans. The singer admits that she is not very heavy, just skin and bone, but he loves her and she loves him. The two of them are happy together, making love under the apple tree. He tells Bony's parents that he wants to get married to her on a night in June, and they will rock and roll by the light of the silvery moon. Bony is the singer's one and only, his heart's desire. She is a real up setter, a real live wire. She catches everyone's eyes when she walks by, and he is proud to love her.
The meaning of the song is pretty straightforward. It is a simple love song about a skinny girl the singer loves. There is nothing particularly complex about the lyrics, and they are easy to understand. The mention of rock and roll and the silvery moon gives the song a romantic and nostalgic feel, harkening back to simpler times. The chorus repeats the same lines over and over again, emphasizing the singer's love for Bony Moronie.
Line by Line Meaning
got a girl named Bony Moronie.
I have a girl I love called Bony Moronie.
She's as skinny as a stick of macaroni.
She is extremely thin, like a piece of macaroni.
Ought to see her rock and roll with her blue jeans on.
She is a great dancer in her blue jeans.
She's not very fat, just skin and bone.
She is incredibly thin and has no extra weight.
But I love her and she loves me.
We are deeply in love with each other.
We're all happy now as we can be.
We are contently happy with each other.
Making love underneath the apple tree.
We enjoy making love underneath the apple tree.
Well, I told her mama and her papa too
I have spoken to her parents.
Just exactly what I want to do.
About what I want to do with their daughter.
I want to get married on a night in June,
I want to marry her on a lovely night in June.
And rock and roll by the light of the silvery moon.
We will dance and celebrate under the beautiful moonlight.
Cause I love her and she loves me,
Because we love each other.
We're all happy now as we can be.
We are delighted with the love we share.
Making love underneath the apple tree.
We still make love under the apple tree, which is our favorite place.
She's my one and only, she's my heart's desire.
She is my only love, the one my heart desires.
She's a real up setter, she's a real live wire.
She is a dynamic, rebel girl with high energy.
Everybody turns when my baby goes by.
Everyone stares when she walks by.
She's something to see, she really catches the eye.
She is a captivating sight.
I love her and she loves me,
We love each other very much.
We're all happy now, as we can be.
We are thrilled with our contented happiness.
Making love underneath the apple tree.
Making love under the apple tree is our favorite pastime.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LARRY WILLIAMS, LARRY E WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Albert-Mag...
.....It's a privilege for us to see this Musician who rose to fame and stardom during the Psychodelic 60's and 70's era of Rock music, on a stage and doing what he has loved all of his life, to interact with the audience in a positive feedback loop interacting with the audience.
.....One of my greatest rock heroes Mr Johnny Winter did his last show while old to even stand anymore a mear shadow of his former great self ..but you know what ?? It was him, man ..
.....The same guy that I saw in the Vancouver coliseum back in the 70's bogin a joint behind the speaker stack while getting his intro,
....I also saw Johnny at the commodore ballroom on Grandville in Vancouver I went Saturday and Sunday first nite.
..... I shot 100 ASA with flash while standing in the very front of the stage, Johnny stayed far away from me, and my flash being an albino He really didn't like it,
....The second nite I switched to 400 ASA no flash, Johnny came right in front of me standing front and centre, The photo's were outstanding...
..... My biggest thrill I had was the second evening after doing his final set and the crowd got him to come back out for an encore ...
.... he comes out, walks up to his mike, I was standing directly in front of him, a few feet away.
....He begins to talk into the mike "" OK NOW WERE GOING TO DO A LITTLE SONG CALLED''
at that exact moment I yelled up to him '' Bony moronie '' HE LOOKED DOWN AT ME AND YELLED INTO THE MIKE '' Bony moronie'' THEN proceeded to play the shit outta that song ...
.... Interacting with one of my greatest Rock Idles was truly one of the high points of my concert experiences.
...Perhaps one of the greatest examples of a positive feedback loop between a band and its audience
Was Freddy Mercury and Queens set at the Live Aid- concert..."Radio Ga Ga" was pure magic ....I'm getting a little long in the tooth ..Beter wrap it up ....
......Any more fine experiences or examples I'd love to hear about them....Cheers ...and good years ...
@johnny-r
This song and this album have been blowing my mind since I was a stoner in the 70s. Johnny was peerless and unmatched.
@kevinharvey2060
Got this album in 1974. Still have it.
@user-qw6po3km3w
I bought this twice on vinyl,and once on cd
@Bopalena
Why aren't you a stoner anymore?
@johnny-r
@@Bopalena I had to grow up - but I did so with protest.
@marcusbuckner5582
See above comment
Get toasted on some JW!
@jflash3451
I used play this song over and over on vinyl. always got chills during his leads. truly one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
@michaelmaness4579
RIP Mr. Winter. Thank you for decades of amazing music.
@johnrasenas2458
any assholes out there who dont think johnny winter is one of the best blues/rock guitarist of all time. johnny also was a very humble man. love his firebird collection! rock on and r.i.p. your legend will live on forever!!!!!!!
@peterhuskisson5122
Yeah Baby!!!!