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.
Don't Hide It
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you just take hold of my hand now
Make the mountains scream, drive my brain machine
But you don't seem to understand now
Turn me inside out and upside down
Take me down low
But you keep it hidden deep inside
Don't hide your love
Don't hide your love
Don't hide the love that you're afraid to feel
That's a low down dirty deal
You got miles and miles of deep-sea smiles
But I never seen them surface
You got this and that and the other thing
But you don't realize their purpose
How can you be so damn naive?
You cause me some frustration
You keep it under lock and key
Why don't you try my combination?
Don't you hide your love
Don't hide your love
Don't you hide your love that you're afraid to feel
That's a low down dirty deal
Such a dirty deal
Don't hide your love
Don't hide your love
Don't hide your love 'cause you're afraid to feel
That's a low down dirty deal
Such a dirty deal
Such a dirty deal
Don't hide your love
Oh girl
In "Don't Hide Your Love," Johnny Winter expresses his frustration with a woman who seemingly has a lot to offer, but hides her love away. He believes she has the power to change his world and ignite his passions, but she either doesn't understand or is too afraid to let her love out. Winter wants her to take hold of his hand, turn him inside out and upside down, and take him down low, but she keeps her love locked up inside. He sees this as a "low down dirty deal" because he feels like he could have so much more with her if she would just open up.
Winter's use of vivid imagery makes the song stand out. He talks about making mountains scream and driving his brain machine in reference to the intense feelings he knows they could experience together. He also mentions deep-sea smiles that never surface, alluding to the hidden emotions of his love interest. Winter pleads with her not to hide her love or be afraid to feel it because he believes they could achieve so much together if she would just let go of her fears.
Overall, "Don't Hide Your Love" is a passionate plea for emotional openness and vulnerability. Winter believes that if they can break down the barriers between them, they could reach new heights of passion and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, you're the kind of girl who could change my world
You have the potential to make a big impact on my life.
If you just take hold of my hand now
All I need is you to give me a chance.
Make the mountains scream, drive my brain machine
With your love, I feel like I could conquer anything.
But you don't seem to understand now
You don't see the power you have over me.
Turn me inside out and upside down
I'm completely vulnerable to you.
Take me down low
Bring me to the depths of your love.
But you keep it hidden deep inside
You're not letting me in and it's frustrating.
So it's got nowhere to go
Your love has no outlet or expression.
Don't hide your love
Please show me your true feelings.
Don't hide your love
Don't keep your love a secret any longer.
Don't hide the love that you're afraid to feel
Don't let fear hold you back from loving me.
That's a low down dirty deal
It's unfair to hold back your love for me.
You got miles and miles of deep-sea smiles
You're hiding your true emotions behind a smile.
But I never seen them surface
I haven't seen your love and emotions come to the forefront.
You got this and that and the other thing
You have a lot going on in your life.
But you don't realize their purpose
You may not understand how these other things relate to our relationship.
How can you be so damn naive?
I'm surprised at how ignorant you are about my feelings.
You cause me some frustration
Your lack of emotional expression is causing me stress.
You keep it under lock and key
You're keeping your emotions and love hidden away from me.
Why don't you try my combination?
Why don't you try being vulnerable with me and see what happens?
Don't you hide your love
I want you to show me your true emotions.
Don't hide your love
Keeping your love a secret is not healthy for us.
Don't you hide your love that you're afraid to feel
Overcoming your fears and expressing love is important for our relationship.
That's a low down dirty deal
Keeping love hidden is unfair to both of us.
Such a dirty deal
It's a dishonest and unjust situation.
Don't hide your love
I want you to know that I'm ready and willing to accept your love.
Oh girl
I'm hopeful that you'll open up to me soon.
Lyrics © Royalty Network
Written by: JON PARIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind