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.
Guess I'll Go Away
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't stop thinking 'bout you
Wondering why you're not around
Can't keep doing without you
Pack my things and leave this town
I've been thinking, hey 'bout you
Can't keep doing without you
Getting tired, not feeling better
Girl, how well I know you
I guess I'll go away
Hey, hey, hey
Can't keep waiting on you
Time passes, I want you more
Time to jump upon you
Darling what are you waiting for
Can't keep waiting on you
I'm gonna jump upon you
Getting time for revolution
Hey!
Ain't got time for playing
Just like I've been saying
I guess I'll go away
Ain't gonna put me through it
I don't have to live this way
You can't hold me to it
Gonna make my get away
Ain't gonna put me through it
You can't hold me to it
Can't get no satisfaction
Everything you're doing
Drive me to ruin
I guess I'll go away
Hey, hey, hey
The lyrics of Johnny Winter And's song "Guess I'll Go Away" convey a sense of frustration and disillusionment with a love interest who is not reciprocating the same level of commitment. The singer is unable to stop thinking about this person and wonders why they are not around. They decide that they cannot keep living without them, but since they are not getting any better or feeling fulfilled in this relationship, they decide to pack their things and leave town. They cannot wait around for this person anymore and are ready to make a change in their life. The singer does not want to be put through this anymore and refuses to live this way, and therefore, chooses to make their getaway.
The lyrics seem to express the familiar sentiment of wanting to chase love and keep waiting for someone who may never return the same level of desire. The singer expresses their desire to change the situation and take control of their life. The frustration and sense of urgency are evident in the repetition of the words "hey" throughout the song, as if the singer is addressing their lover.
Overall, "Guess I'll Go Away" is a powerful ballad about the complexity and struggle of relationships and the conflicting emotions that can come with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey,
Addressing someone to bring attention to the following lines
Can't stop thinking 'bout you
Obsessing over the person, constantly thinking about them
Wondering why you're not around
Questioning why the person isn't present
Can't keep doing without you
Unable to continue on without the person
Pack my things and leave this town
Deciding to leave the current place, likely to distance oneself from the person
I've been thinking, hey 'bout you
Continuing to think about the person
Can't keep doing without you
Repeating the sentiment that the person is necessary for happiness
Getting tired, not feeling better
Feeling worn out and not improving in the current situation
Ain't got time to show you
Not having enough time to prove how well the person is known
Girl, how well I know you
Expressing a familiarity and understanding of the person
I guess I'll go away
Final decision to leave
Hey, hey, hey
Drawing attention to the following lines
Can't keep waiting on you
Growing tired of waiting for the person
Time passes, I want you more
As time goes on, desire for the person increases
Time to jump upon you
Deciding to take action and pursue the person
Darling what are you waiting for
Questioning why the person hasn't reciprocated feelings
I'm gonna jump upon you
Determining to pursue the person without hesitation
Getting time for revolution
Feeling like it's time for a change or shift in the dynamic
Hey!
Exclamation to emphasize the shift in energy
Ain't got time for playing
Not interested in games or wasting time
Just like I've been saying
Repeating the sentiment of wanting to pursue the person
I guess I'll go away
Final decision to leave and pursue other options
Ain't gonna put me through it
Refusing to endure pain or emotional turmoil
I don't have to live this way
Realizing that a change is necessary to improve life
You can't hold me to it
Not allowing the person to control or manipulate the situation
Gonna make my get away
Taking action to remove oneself from the situation
Can't get no satisfaction
Not finding happiness or fulfillment in the current situation
Everything you're doing
Putting blame or responsibility onto the other person
Drive me to ruin
Causing emotional harm and destruction
I guess I'll go away
Final decision to leave and move forward
Hey, hey, hey
Closing statement to bring attention to the decision made
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNNY WINTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
Hey,
Can't stop thinking 'bout you
Wondering why you're not around
Can't keep doing without you
Pack my things and leave this town
I've been thinking, hey 'bout you
Can't keep doing without you
Getting tired, not feeling better
Ain't got time to show you
Girl, how well I know you
I guess I'll go away
Hey, hey, hey
Can't keep waiting on you
Time passes, I want you more
Time to jump upon you
Darling what are you waiting for
Can't keep waiting on you
I'm gonna jump upon you
Getting time for revolution
Hey!
Ain't got time for playing
Just like I've been saying
I guess I'll go away
Ain't gonna put me through it
I don't have to live this way
You can't hold me to it
Gonna make my get away
Ain't gonna put me through it
You can't hold me to it
Can't get no satisfaction
Everything you're doing
Drive me to ruin
I guess I'll go away
Hey, hey, hey
djspliff26
The fact that Rolling Stone Magazine has Johnny at #63 on the top 100 guitarists of all-time says more about the qualifications of whoever did the ranking than it does about Johnny's ability to play the guitar. Look at some of the people that they have ranked higher than Johnny if you don't believe me. It's a joke. Johnny should be in the top 5, or at least the top 10.
Grok Effer
That list sucks.
Kyle Simonson
At least 3 or 5, if only for his songwriting and his stellar guitar paly.
opal cliffs auto center
Depends on criteria, I agree with you.Johnny was the best to me.But you would have to appreciate his style.Overall,.. master of guitar play, he is tops....Speed, none better..The problem with the poll is popularity!!! Johnny played the blues mostly...I went to several of his concerts, no matter what band played prior, when Winter started playing, he blew the warm-up bands away....
I challenge any of these so-called guitar voting experts to play any top ten guitar player, then play Johnny....He blows them away....Only exception would be Eric Clapton.....
Chuck Berry
Rolling stone is just some NY hipster BS. Their list is a complete joke. I have no idea why anyone even thinks about it. Who the hell are they? In my world, learning to play rock and roll and rock guitar styles in the 60s and 70s, my 3 great heros were Hendrix, Santana and Johnny Winter. Genius players. Johnny is my favorite blues player, and can he rock and roll as well. I think Johnny B. Goode is about him. Chuck Berry and Johnny Winter are my top two rock and roll guitarists. I have my own ideas about what rock and roll is, its Not rock, that came later. Rock and Roll is the thing that came completely together in the hands of Chuck Berry. Fifties and early 60s were its time. I can make a list of at least 20 guitarists from the 60s who I think the world of, Clapton, Terry Kath, Blackmore, Duane, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Alvin Lee, Robby Kreiger. But at the top for me, its Hendrix, Santana, and johnny Winter. He played Highway 61 cause I shouted loudest as an encore a few years before he died. He was old and crippled but his playing was all there. The tone, the clarity, the huge vocabulary, the speed, the taste. Just, a genius.
Brother Bob
They. never seen him live
MrKim2288
45 years later this album still kicks. Not to diminish JW's skills as he will always be one of the best, but taking on Derringer as a songwriting partner pushed this group up to the next level...and beyond. Some great material from this foursome....wow!
Jeff Doyle
Johnny and Duane were the best slide players when I was young. Monsters. Nice to see Derek Trucks picking up the torch.
- XxJimmyPagexX -
Johnny Winter and Duane Allman are the greatest guitarists of all time
Robert Ganser
R.I.P. Johnny, one of the very greatest white Blues Men and Guitar Heroes ever!