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.
Leave My Woman Alone
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you don't want, oh yeah
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
You better leave my woman alone
I know you are a playboy
And you got women all over town
Listen, buddy, if you ever sweet-talk my little girl
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
If you don't want, oh yeah
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
You better leave my woman alone
I know you got your money
And you got a brand new '62
Listen, buddy, if I see my little girl in your new car
I'm gonna do some work on you
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
If you don't want, oh yeah
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
You better leave my woman alone
I don't believe in trouble
Lord, I don't wanna start no fight
So take heed and stay away from my little girl
Everything's gonna be alright
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
If you don't want, oh yeah
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
Lord, you better leave my woman alone
My woman alone
My woman alone
You better leave
You better leave
Y'better leave
Y'better leave
I said
My woman alone
Better leave
-i-i-i-i-i-i-
My woman
My woman alone
M'woman alone
Yeah, yeah
I said
You better leave
My woman alone
My-i-i-i-i-i-
My woman
My woman alone
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
If you don't want, oh yeah
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
You better leave my woman alone
My woman alone
My woman alone
The lyrics to Johnny Winter's "Leave My Woman Alone" convey a strong message to a potential suitor to stay away from the singer's woman, who he refers to as his "little girl". The song is delivered in a straightforward and simple manner, but with a strong sense of warning and intimidation. In the first verse, Winter tells the suitor that if he does not want to get into trouble, he needs to leave his woman alone. The message is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's possessive and protective nature over his woman.
Winter's lyrics express his mistrust and suspicion towards the suitor, whom he refers to as a "playboy" with "women all over town". The singer warns that should the suitor make any advances towards his woman, he will not hesitate to "lay [his] money down" and "do some work" on him. Ultimately, Winter advises the suitor to stay away from his woman to avoid any trouble.
The song's lyrics reflect the societal norms of the 1960s, where men were expected to be protective and possessive over their women. It also showcases Johnny Winter's blues guitar skills and his exceptional ability to convey emotions through music.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, if you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
If you don't want to face the consequences, just stay away.
If you don't want, oh yeah
If you refuse, it's your own fault.
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
If you don't want any problems, steer clear of my woman.
You better leave my woman alone
Stay away from my lady or you'll regret it.
I know you are a playboy
I'm aware of what kind of man you are.
And you got women all over town
You're known for your promiscuous behavior.
Listen, buddy, if you ever sweet-talk my little girl
Hey pal, if I catch you making advances on my daughter...
I'm gonna lay your money down
...I will use force to make you pay for it.
I know you got your money
I'm aware of your financial success.
And you got a brand new '62
You even have a new car to flaunt.
Listen, buddy, if I see my little girl in your new car
But if I catch my daughter riding in that car with you...
I'm gonna do some work on you
...I will physically harm you.
I don't believe in trouble
I'm not looking for a fight.
Lord, I don't wanna start no fight
I have no desire to engage in conflict.
So take heed and stay away from my little girl
Just be smart and avoid my daughter altogether.
Everything's gonna be alright
Promise there won't be any issues if you listen to me.
My woman alone
Stay away from my woman.
You better leave
I'm warning you to exit.
Y'better leave
You really should depart.
I said
Listen up, this is serious.
Better leave
You have to leave.
-i-i-i-i-i-i-
Guitar solo
My woman
My lady.
Yeah, yeah
Yes, I mean it.
If you don't want, you don't have to get in trouble
Avoid trouble by keeping your distance from my woman.
My woman alone
Leave my woman be.
My woman
My significant other.
My woman alone
Do not pursue my woman.
Yeah, yeah
I'm serious about this.
Contributed by Violet B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.