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.
Johnny Guitar
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Honey, no more doggin', foolin' 'round with you
I'm gonna let'cha out baby, and that's what I've got to do
Well, told you all the straights and I made you fine
You spend my money on whiskey, beer and wine
No more doggin', foolin' 'round with you,
Well, ya told me that'cha love me and you told me a lie
Yes, I'll love you until the day I die
No more doggin', foolin' 'round with you
I gotta let'cha out, baby, and that's what I've got, oh yes
Well, ya know I love ya baby and I can't help myself
Yes, I'll love you until the day I die
No more doggin', foolin' 'round with you
I gotta let'cha out, baby, and that's what I've got to do
I gotta let'cha out, baby, and that's what I've got to do
I gotta let'cha out, baby, and that's what I've got to do
The opening line of "Honey, no more doggin', foolin' 'round with you" sets the tone for the entire song. Johnny Winter is frustrated with his current relationship and is no longer willing to tolerate his partner's behavior. He is clearly at the end of his rope and has decided that he needs to let her go. This decision is reinforced in the repeated line, "I'm gonna let'cha out baby, and that's what I've got to do."
Winter goes on to explain why he has reached this decision. His partner has been spending his money on alcohol, and he has had enough. He has tried talking to her about it, but she has not changed her ways. He tells her that he has "told you all the straights and I made you fine," meaning that he has been honest with her and done what he could to make the relationship work. However, his efforts have been in vain, and he is left with no choice but to end things.
While the repeated chorus, "No more doggin', foolin' 'round with you," reinforces Winter's frustration with his partner's behavior, he also acknowledges his own feelings for her. He tells her that she has lied to him about loving him, but he still loves her despite that. This is reflected in the line, "Yes, I'll love you until the day I die." Ultimately, though, he knows that he needs to let her go for his own well-being.
Overall, the lyrics to "Johnny Guitar" depict a situation in which one partner has been repeatedly hurt by the other's behavior and has finally decided to end the relationship. While there is some sadness in Winter's tone, there is also a sense of empowerment in his decision to let go and move on with his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey, no more doggin', foolin' 'round with you
I won't waste my time playing games with you anymore.
I'm gonna let'cha out baby, and that's what I've got to do
I need to end this relationship and set you free.
Well, told you all the straights and I made you fine
I tried to help you get on the right track but you didn't listen.
You spend my money on whiskey, beer and wine
You're wasting my resources on alcohol instead of improving yourself.
Well, ya told me that'cha love me and you told me a lie
You deceived me by saying you loved me when you didn't mean it.
Yes, I'll love you until the day I die
Despite your betrayal, I still can't help but have feelings for you.
Well, ya know I love ya baby and I can't help myself
My love for you is so strong that I can't control my emotions.
I gotta let'cha out, baby, and that's what I've got to do
It's time for me to move on and let go of this toxic relationship.
I gotta let'cha out, baby, and that's what I've got to do
I know it won't be easy, but I need to set us both free from this destructive cycle.
I gotta let'cha out, baby, and that's what I've got to do
I'm determined to make this tough decision and finally bring closure to this chapter of our lives.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ETTORE CARRERA, PEGGY LEE, MARIO PANZERI, VICTOR POPULAR YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
motorfredde
Best guitar player in history, in my opinion.
Niclas Holst
Thanks for this!,one of the true great blues talents here.
Anders K Andersson
Johnny and SRV are the true American Legends with a black man heart... they are still playing BLUES in heaven I guess ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Johan Staelens
The real deal ! Here comes Johnny Guitar to play in your town ! So Lucky to have see him playing three times in Belgium !
Pat Salcido
My first concert I was around 9 years old. My dad took me to a Johnny winter concert in El Paso TX. I was the only kid in there and got one of his shirts . He rocked out. I’ll remember that day till I die ✊🏼
Moe Shiner
Awesome Bro, Rock on!
alan thorne
Great track from a great album’Hey Where’s Your Brother’.
Asao Sensei
1. "and try to upset all the pretty girls so", not "And trial up some several Pretty girls so".
2. "Gonna play some slow and play some fast", not "Gonna play some slow and play some best".
3. "Gonna have a ball as long as it last", not "Gonna have a ball as long as best".
Pedro147
Good proofreading there Thanks
Rene Ferri
A música até é boa, mas não tem nada a ver com a 'Johnny Guitar' de Victor Young/ Peggy Lee conforme está nos créditos... esta trata-se de outra canção escrita para um filme de mesmo nome, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeCWuN0dc5w