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.
It Was Rainin
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well you know I believe the sun ain't shinin', looks like the rain about to fall, comin' down
Well you know when I'm home with my woman, I don't need no sun at fall
Well you know, I feel so good that when I hear, when I hear that lonesome sound
You know I feel so good I always got 'til I hear
I been layin' on my bed takin' it with my baby, you know
And the rain be comin' down, yeah, be comin' down
Yes it is do it again do it"
Well next time it was stomy, you know I was livin' down in New Orleans
You know it'd take a whole lot more than blood and water for me to keep my business clean
Oh yea, I'm clean
Rain on, rain on
The lyrics of Johnny Winter's "It Was Rainin'" depict a sense of contentment and happiness, despite the gloomy weather. From the first line, "Well I know the sun ain't shinin', it looks like the rain about to fall," it is clear that the weather is dull and unpleasant. However, the singer's belief that the rain is about to fall portrays an optimism for change. The second line is repeated, emphasizing the gloomy weather and the singer's beliefs about it.
The third line brings in the singer's love and affection for his woman, suggesting that he doesn't need sunshine to feel happy when he's home with her. This line suggests that home is where the heart is and that the singer's contentment comes from the comfort and joy he experiences with his woman.
The fourth line, "Well, you know, I feel so good I always got 'til I hear," uses repetition to emphasize the singer's emotions. He is happy until he hears a "lonesome sound," which reflects a feeling of loneliness or sadness. This suggests that the singer is not always as happy as he appears and that there is a sadness within him that is occasionally brought out by external factors.
The line "I been layin' on my bed takin' it with my baby, you know," implies a sense of intimacy and closeness within the singer's relationship. The rain coming down might be a metaphor for the intensity of his feelings for his partner, which bring him comfort and joy.
The final lines of the song, "Well next time it was stomy, you know I was livin' down in New Orleans/ You know it'd take a whole lot more than blood and water for me to keep my business clean/ Oh yeah, I'm clean/ Rain on, rain on," suggest that the singer may have a troubled past, possibly referring to the floods and hurricanes that hit New Orleans. Despite these challenges, the singer suggests that he is clean and is not afraid to face the challenges that come his way.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I know the sun ain't shinin', it looks like the rain about to fall
I am aware that it is cloudy and likely to rain soon
Well you know I believe the sun ain't shinin', looks like the rain about to fall, comin' down
I'm sure that there will be rain soon, it's already starting
Well you know when I'm home with my woman, I don't need no sun at fall
I feel complete and happy with my lover, regardless of the weather
Well you know, I feel so good that when I hear, when I hear that lonesome sound
I'm in such a good mood that even the sound of the rain doesn't bother me
You know I feel so good I always got 'til I hear
I'm feeling great, but the sound of the rain might be a downer
I been layin' on my bed takin' it with my baby, you know
I've been spending intimate time with my lover while enjoying the rain
And the rain be comin' down, yeah, be comin' down
The rain is falling continuously
"Go ahead, play a little bit now
Yes it is do it again do it"
Encouragement to continue playing music during the rainy day
Well next time it was stomy, you know I was livin' down in New Orleans
Another time in the past when there was a lot of rain, I was living in New Orleans
You know it'd take a whole lot more than blood and water for me to keep my business clean
It would take a lot of effort for me to keep my affairs in order
Oh yea, I'm clean
Yes, I have things under control
Rain on, rain on
Keep raining, rain as much as you want
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNNY WINTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind