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.
I Can
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I got to put you down a little while
We-ell, I can't quit you baby,
But I got to put you down a little while
We-ell you done made me mess up my happy home,
Made me mistreat my only child
Ah, when you hear me moanin' and groanin',
Whoa when you hear me moanin' and groanin',
You know it hurts way down inside
Oh when you hear me howlin',
Ooh you know my love will never die, alright
Well when you see me cryin',
Don't let my tears fall in vain
Well when you see me cryin, darlin',
Please don't let my tears fall in vain
Lord, I don't know what to do,
You know my heart is filled with pain
Whoa, when you hear me howlin',
Baby, you know it hurts way down inside
Johnny Winter's blues song "I Can't Quit You Baby" is about a man who is unable to leave his lover despite the harm she causes him. Even though he wants to put her down for a while, his love for her keeps on dragging him back into the relationship. He narrates how his lover has made him mess up his happy home and mistreat his only child, implying that he has lost control of his life because of her. The man claims that it hurts him deep down inside when he moans and groans, which show how much he loves her, even though the relationship is causing him pain. He appeals to his lover to hear his howling and know that his love for her will never die.
The lyrics portray the message that love can be both good and bad, and at times, it can lead us down a destructive path. Although the singer loves his woman, he realizes that he needs to stop the relationship for a while to regain control of his life. The song highlights the paradox of love and how it can bring immense joy and happiness or intense pain and sorrow to one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
We-ell, I can't quit you baby,
I am unable to leave you, my love
But I got to put you down a little while
But I need a break from our relationship
We-ell you done made me mess up my happy home,
You caused me to damage my happy household
Made me mistreat my only child
I mistreated my own child due to my frustration caused by you
Ah, when you hear me moanin' and groanin',
When you hear me expressing my pain
Whoa you know it hurts me way down inside
You know that I am deeply hurt
You know it hurts way down inside
The pain is too deep to describe
Oh when you hear me howlin',
When you hear me scream in agony
Ooh you know my love will never die, alright
Despite everything, my love for you will never fade
Well when you see me cryin',
When you see me shedding tears
Don't let my tears fall in vain
Do not let my tears go to waste
Lord, I don't know what to do,
I am lost and do not know how to cope
You know my heart is filled with pain
You know that I am suffering greatly
Baby, you know it hurts way down inside
You know that the pain is too deep to bear
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chiladin708
Without this song, there would be no Stones, no Zep, no Doors, no Gun-n-Roses, no Nirvana, no Blink 182, no rock, grunge or heavy metal. Give it up the architects and Chicago Electric Blues. #BlackHistoryMonth
@bishlap
and without early "country" music there would be no MUDDY, etc... everything comes from somewhere.
@TimLangen51
Muddy and Johnny were absolute magic together. Their music will live on forever!
@mikeoak2413
Johnny Winter liked Muddy a lot.
@paulbiesenthal8790
This is an amazing memory of two of the greatest blues men in history Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter Rest in peace both of you
@thebicycleman8062
who else is jus addicted to this song heard EVERY SINGLE cover POSSIBLE of it and every version on Youtube!! Its the first sing I EVER LEARNT how to PLAY and SING - and mannn do i have a bad deep low voice, like my cords r too thick or something, which always annoyed me because I was a musician since I was a child but cod never sing.. but this is the only song i sing so good dont know why.. maybe becaue it is simple or it suits my super low range
@winterguitarkingyea
Wow ! The King of The Blues, Muddy Waters, with the King of Guitar Players Johnny Winter, It doesn't get any better. RIP Super Stars. Thank You for the awesome music Host (y)
@brolfe7524
I got to be a body guard at a concert he played at at Selland Arena in Fresno 1974. Black Oak Arkansas, Brownsville Station and Headliner Johnny Winter. Wow! What a concert!
@muazqamar
Lucky man
@terrylusk9879
WTF