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 Smell Trouble
Johnny Winter Lyrics
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To do what's right
One whole year of stayin' home
Both day and night
'Cause I smell a mean trouble
Way over yonder
You know I heard a mean, yeah
Lord, they just won't let me be
The people talk about me
Both night and day
I said, Lord, please forgive them
And go the other way
'Cause I smell a mean trouble
Lord, I smell trouble
Ahead of me, oh, yeah
Yes, always in trouble
Lord, they just won't let me be
And from now on
I will not run and hide
I'll face trouble with a smile
And hope it pass me by
'Cause I smell a mean trouble
Way over yonder
I say, I heard a mean
Yes, always in trouble
They just won't
They just won't
Lord, they just won't
Let me be
Hoo, oh yeah
The lyrics of Johnny Winter's "I Smell Trouble" highlight the singer's plight of being constantly plagued by trouble in his life. The song begins with the singer admitting that they've tried to do the right thing for a year by staying at home day and night but their efforts seem futile as they continue to face trouble. The phrase, "I smell a mean trouble" suggests that the singer senses that something bad is about to happen in the near future. The repetition of the phrase, "always in trouble" conveys the idea that the singer is constantly being chased by trouble and that he never seems to catch a break.
The second verse highlights the impact of public perception on the singer. He talks about how people talk about him day and night, and he pleads with the Lord to forgive them and "go the other way." The line "Lord, they just won't let me be" is the culmination of the singer's feelings of helplessness and exhaustion. In the third verse, the singer shifts his focus to dealing with his problems rather than running from them. He talks about facing trouble with a smile and hoping that it passes him by. Even though he knows that he can't escape trouble, he's willing to confront it head-on.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord, knows I've tried
I have made an effort in the past to do the right thing.
To do what's right
To act in accordance with moral principles.
One whole year of stayin' home
For an entire year, I have been indoors.
Both day and night
Throughout the entire day, and during the night as well.
'Cause I smell a mean trouble
I have detected something ominous in the air.
Way over yonder
Far away and out of reach.
You know I heard a mean, yeah
I have been informed of troubling matters.
Always in trouble people
There are certain individuals who are notorious for their troublesome behavior.
Lord, they just won't let me be
They persistently cause problems for me.
The people talk about me
I am the subject of conversation amongst others.
Both night and day
This conversation occurs throughout the entire day, including at night.
I said, Lord, please forgive them
I have uttered a prayer to God, asking for forgiveness.
And go the other way
I hope that they turn away from their unfavorable behavior.
From now on
Starting today and into the future.
I will not run and hide
I will confront any difficulties that arise rather than avoiding them.
I'll face trouble with a smile
I will deal with difficulties with a positive demeanor.
And hope it pass me by
I will anticipate that any problems will pass me without causing harm.
They just won't
These individuals refuse to change.
Let me be
They continue to cause problems for me, without any regard for my well-being.
Hoo, oh yeah
An exclamation of emotion and acknowledgement.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MELVIN JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind