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.
Good Morning Litte Schoolgirl
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can I go home with, can I go home with you
I'll tell your mother and your father, I'm a little schoolboy too
Gonna buy me an airplane, gonna buy me an airplane
Gonna fly all over, gonna fly all over town, all over town, yes
If I don't find my little schoolgirl, ain't gonna set my airplane down ah, yeah
When I was twelve, baby when I was twelve years old
You know I was looking for a schoolgirl just to, eat my jelly roll, yeah
G, good morning little schoolgirl, good morning little schoolgirl
Can I go home with, can I go home with you, ah, yeah
Tell your mother and your father, I'm a little schoolboy, yes a schoolboy
The lyrics of Johnny Winter's song Good Morning Little Schoolgirl are a classic example of the blues genre. The song narrates a man's desire for a younger woman, specifically a schoolgirl. The opening lines of the song, "Good morning little schoolgirl, good morning little schoolgirl, can I go home with you, can I go home with you?" suggest his attempt to engage in a sexual relationship with her. He tells her "I'll tell your mother and your father, I'm a little schoolboy too," insinuating that he is of the same age as her, even though he may not be.
The second verse portrays the singer's search for his schoolgirl by buying an airplane to fly all over town. He sings, "If I don't find my little schoolgirl, ain't gonna set my airplane down." It is unclear what he plans to do if he finds her, but it is clear that he is determined to locate her. The third verse indicates that the singer has a history of seeking young girls. He reminisces about his past, saying, "I remember way back, when I was twelve, baby when I was twelve years old, you know I was looking for a schoolgirl just to, eat my jelly roll." The line is a euphemism for sexual activity. The chorus repeats the opening lines and concludes the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning little schoolgirl, good morning little schoolgirl
The singer greets a young girl, expressing his interest in her.
Can I go home with, can I go home with you
The singer asks the girl if he can accompany her back to her home.
I'll tell your mother and your father, I'm a little schoolboy too
The singer assures the girl's parents that he is also a student like their daughter.
Gonna buy me an airplane, gonna buy me an airplane
The singer plans to buy an airplane.
Gonna fly all over, gonna fly all over town, all over town, yes
The singer intends to fly his airplane across the city.
If I don't find my little schoolgirl, ain't gonna set my airplane down ah, yeah
The singer won't land his airplane if he doesn't find the girl he's looking for.
Good morning little schoolgirl, ah, I remember way back, I remember way back
The singer recalls his own past experiences with schoolgirls.
When I was twelve, baby when I was twelve years old
The singer reminisces about being twelve years old.
You know I was looking for a schoolgirl just to, eat my jelly roll, yeah
The singer admits his desire to have sexual encounters with young girls.
G, good morning little schoolgirl, good morning little schoolgirl
The singer repeats his initial greeting to the girl.
Can I go home with, can I go home with you, ah, yeah
The singer reiterates his intention to accompany the girl home.
Tell your mother and your father, I'm a little schoolboy, yes a schoolboy
The singer restates that he is a student, trying to gain the trust of the girl's parents.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: LOVE LEVEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@maxsno
Hands down, top shelf live album . Rick and Johnny blazing tight .
@hanslarsen7524
So incredibly grand! I bought the LP new in 1971 when I was 14. Still listening to it. Johnny and Rick together, just awesome. Rocking blues can't be better than this!
@laurieweinroth3596
Johnny could sure play the blues really naturally,great singing, a true musician. Saw him once,exciting as heck. He had to overcome a lot with grace. I take my hat off to you and Edgar was a hell of a musician.
@Woozler554
Bought this album almost 50 years ago. The drum opening on this first cut still fascinates me to this day.
Johnny was a great performer, and he had an ear for other great performers. The whole line-up was quite talented.
@THEWORDCHRISTIANMINISTRY
"Bobby Caldwell" on drums ! Good stuff !!
@dbarnes544
I've bought this album in cassette, vinyl multiple times. Always a good listen.
@refriedboogie
Top 10 best rock performance ever. This is true boogie
@SteveMills
April, 1974, I saw this band with Black Oak Arkansas and Brownsville Station in Portland, Oregon. Ticket was $4. You can't even buy a bottle of water that cheap these days. Johnny could be clumsy, he could be comical, but he was always on fire. He was amazing.
@Johnnycdrums
Steve Mills;
Saw Johnny puke on stage in Bangor, Maine.
He never missed a beat, it was so good it should have been televised, and I mean it.
@robertguatelli9178
I was lucky enough to be there. I was a kid of 14. Had bought tickets for the late show ( yes, two shows a night at the Filmore East) and had to swap them for the early show or my parents would not let me go .I never looked back. He was "my guy" from that time on. The guitar interplay between he and Derringer just makes me feel great every time I hear it.