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.
Love Song To Me
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't have to be on speed or taken down
Makes no difference, so I'm told, if you're young or if you're old
Just have to think that I'm the coolest thing around
Keep on rockin' and rollin', don't ever settle down,
Keep my records playing all the time.
Spend your money on my concerts every time I come to town
I don't care if you're a Christian or a Buddhist,
It don't matter if you're yellow, black or white
Just turn on your radio, call up your favorite DJ show
And request my records every night.
Keep on rockin' and rollin', don't ever settle down,
Keep my records playing all the time.
Spend your money on my concerts every time I come to town
And baby you can be a friend of mine.
Ah-oooh!
Everybody's supposed to love their neighbour
Yeah neighbours they been all the same to me
Well if this shit is real, come on let's make a deal
Neighbour, I love you if you'll love me!
Keep on rockin' and rollin', don't ever settle down,
Keep my records playing all the time
Spend your money on my concerts every time I come to town
And baby you can be a friend of mine
Yes, baby you can be a friend of mine!
Johnny Winter's song "Love Song To Me" is a rock and roll anthem that celebrates the loyalty and devotion of his fans. The lyrics suggest that anyone can be his friend, regardless of their background or beliefs. He sings that it doesn't matter if you're a junkie or a groupie, young or old, Christian or Buddhist, yellow, black or white. What matters is that the listener thinks he is the coolest thing around, and keeps on rockin' and rollin' while playing his records all the time. The message is clear - if you follow him, he will be your friend.
The song is a reflection of the hedonistic lifestyle that was prevalent in the 1970s rock and roll scene. It portrays a sense of freedom and rebellion against societal norms. However, it also reveals a certain insecurity on the part of Johnny Winter, who desires to be loved and revered by his fans. The lyrics suggest that he is willing to compromise his own values and beliefs for the sake of popularity.
In conclusion, "Love Song To Me" is a rock and roll classic that celebrates the power of music to bring people together. It is a song that invites listeners to join in the celebration, to keep on rockin' and rollin', and to be a friend of Johnny Winter.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't have to be a junkie or a groupie,
You don't need to be a drug addict or a fan following a band
You don't have to be on speed or taken down
You don't need to be on drugs or feeling down
Makes no difference, so I'm told, if you're young or if you're old
Age doesn't matter, as I've heard
Just have to think that I'm the coolest thing around
All you need is to believe that I'm the best thing ever
Keep on rockin' and rollin', don't ever settle down,
Don't stop listening to rock music and always stay active
Keep my records playing all the time.
Always listen to my albums
Spend your money on my concerts every time I come to town
Buy tickets to my shows every time I'm in your city
And baby you can be a friend of mine.
And then we can become friends
I don't care if you're a Christian or a Buddhist,
Your religion doesn't make a difference to me
It don't matter if you're yellow, black or white
Your skin color doesn't matter to me
Just turn on your radio, call up your favorite DJ show
Just tune in to your favorite radio station and call the DJ
And request my records every night.
And ask them to play my songs every night
Ah-oooh!
This line doesn't have a specific meaning
Everybody's supposed to love their neighbour
According to societal norms, everyone should love their neighbors
Yeah neighbours they been all the same to me
But to me, my neighbors have been similar
Well if this shit is real, come on let's make a deal
If this love is genuine, let's make an agreement
Neighbour, I love you if you'll love me!
Neighbor, I'll love you if you'll love me back
Yes, baby you can be a friend of mine!
Yes, we can be friends
Contributed by Miles D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.