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.
Life Is Hard
Johnny Winter Lyrics
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It's a long, hard, rocky road
Well it's dog, dog eat dog
And survival of the fittest so I'm told
No matter how you try
Life is hard and then you die
This old world is a tangle
You know the devil wears a blue dress
And she's out to get you in the end
I can't count the tears I cried
Life is hard and then you die
Yeah, it's hard...
[Instrumental]
Everybody...
Got their own cross to bear
Black or white, rich or poor
You know the blues is everywhere (everywhere)
Just keep reachin' for the sky
Life is hard and then you die
Johnny Winter's song "Life Is Hard" is a poignant reflection on the harsh realities of life. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a world where it is "dog eat dog" and "survival of the fittest." It is a world where even your closest friends cannot be trusted and the devil is out to get you in the end. Despite your best efforts, life is hard, and death is inevitable.
The first verse establishes the theme of the song, emphasizing that life is not easy and is instead a long, hard, rocky road. It is followed by a chorus that underscores the reality of life and the certainty of death. The second verse delves deeper into the tangled web of life and the fact that even those closest to you can be your downfall. The devil, represented here as a woman in a blue dress, is waiting to claim you in the end. The last verse points out that everyone has their own struggles to bear, and no one is immune to the blues.
Winter's guitar work throughout the song is stunning, conveying a sense of melancholy and despair. The instrumental break is particularly powerful, allowing the listener to reflect on the harsh truths presented in the lyrics.
Overall, "Life Is Hard" is a moving and thought-provoking song that reminds us of the fragility of life and the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Life ain't easy
Life is difficult
It's a long, hard, rocky road
Life is a challenging and rough journey
Well it's dog, dog eat dog
The world is competitive and ruthless
And survival of the fittest so I'm told
The strongest will survive
No matter how you try
Despite your efforts
Life is hard and then you die
Life is tough and ultimately ends with death
This old world is a tangle
The world is confusing and complicated
You can't trust your closest friend
Even your closest friend may betray you
You know the devil wears a blue dress
The evil may appear in an unexpected, attractive form
And she's out to get you in the end
Evil may become your ultimate demise
I can't count the tears I cried
I have suffered greatly
Life is hard and then you die
Life is challenging and ultimately ends with death
Yeah, it's hard...
Yes, life is difficult
Everybody...
Everyone
Got their own cross to bear
Everyone has their own problems to deal with
Black or white, rich or poor
Regardless of race or social status
You know the blues is everywhere
Sorrow and hardship are universal
(everywhere)
Just keep reachin' for the sky
Don't give up and keep striving for success
Life is hard and then you die
Life is a challenging journey that ultimately ends with death
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: TERESA BELMONT JAMES, ROBERT TERRY WILSON, LUCY WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind