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.
Just A Little Bit
Johnny Winter Lyrics
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JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT.
DON`T WANT MUCH,
NO, JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT.
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
EARLY IN THE MORNING,
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
LATE IN THE EVENING,
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
`ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT,
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
WON`T YOU WALK WITH ME,
JUST A LITTLE BIT?
TALK TO ME,
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
TURN THE LAMPS DOWN LOW,
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
LOVE YOU SO,
LOVE ME A LITTLE BIT.
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
TURN YOUR LIGHTS DOWN LOW,
AND KINDLY SLIP ME A KISS,
TURN YOUR LIGHTS DOWN LOW,
I JUST CAN`T RESIST.
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
I WANT YOU FOREVER,
NOT JUST FOR PIECE OF MIND.
PLEASE, SAY YOU`LL NEVER LEAVE ME,
NOT `TIL THE END OF TIME.
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
The song "Just A Little Bit" by Johnny Winter & Uncle John Turner is a simple plea for love and attention. The singer claims not to want much, just a little bit of the love of their romantic interest. The singer is persistent in their quest, asking for a little bit in the early morning, late in the evening, and around midnight. They ask for a little bit of walking and talking, and even suggest turning the lamps down low for some intimacy. The singer is clear about their desire for a little bit of love, and want it not just temporarily, but forever.
The lyrics of the song are straightforward and uncomplicated, yet convey a universal sentiment towards the need for love and attention. The singer wants a little bit of love, and while the words may seem small, the message is strong and unyielding. The song is a reminder that sometimes, the simplest of things can mean the most, and that love is often found in the little things that we share with those we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
WELL, I DON`T WANT MUCH,
I don't have too many desires
JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT.
I just need a tiny amount
DON`T WANT MUCH,
I'm not expectiong alot
NO, JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT.
No, I don't want more
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
I want a really small portion
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
I need just a little bit of your affection
EARLY IN THE MORNING,
At the start of the day
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Even a tiny amount is enough
LATE IN THE EVENING,
At the close of the day
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Only a little bit will do
`ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT,
Sometime during the night
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
All I need is a small amount
WON`T YOU WALK WITH ME,
Will you accompany me?
JUST A LITTLE BIT?
Can we just go a short distance?
TALK TO ME,
Communicate with me
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Just speak with me briefly
TURN THE LAMPS DOWN LOW,
Please dim the lighting
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Just a slight adjustment
LOVE YOU SO,
I'm really fond of you
LOVE ME A LITTLE BIT.
Please show just a tiny bit of love to me
TURN YOUR LIGHTS DOWN LOW,
Please lower your lights
AND KINDLY SLIP ME A KISS,
Please give me a sweet kiss
TURN YOUR LIGHTS DOWN LOW,
Dim the lights even further
I JUST CAN`T RESIST.
I can't help myself
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
I want the smallest possible amount
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
A tiny amount of your affection is all I need
I WANT YOU FOREVER,
I want you to be mine forever
NOT JUST FOR PIECE OF MIND.
It's not about convenience, I want our love to last
PLEASE, SAY YOU`LL NEVER LEAVE ME,
Please promise that you won't go away from me
NOT `TIL THE END OF TIME.
Promise me that you will stay with me forever
I WANT A LITTLE BITTY ITTY-BITTY
A really small amount is all I need
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR LOVE.
Just give me a tiny bit of affection
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DENZIL FOSTER, THOMAS MCELROY, THOMAS DERRICK MC ELROY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind