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.
No Time To Live
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the days are growing very short
People try their hardest to reject me
But in a way, their conscience won't be caught
Something's happen to me day by day
My pebble on the beach is getting washed away
Given everything that was mine to give
So often, I have seen that big wheel of fortune
Spinning for the man, who holds the ace
There's many that would change their places for him
But none of them have ever seen his lonely face
Something is happening to me day by day
My pebble on the beach is getting washed away
Given everything that was mine to give
And now I'll turn around and find that there's no time to live
The lyrics of Johnny Winter's song No Time To Live express the idea that life is fleeting and time is running out. The singer feels the weight of time upon him, and as the days grow shorter, he experiences rejection from people who are not willing to face their conscience. He is aware that something is happening to him day by day and he is losing his place in the world, represented in the metaphor of "pebble on the beach getting washed away." The singer has given everything he has to give, but he is now realizing that there is no time left to live and he is left with the existential question of what to do with his remaining time.
The lyrics are also critical of the notion of fortune, as Winter sings about the "big wheel of fortune" that spins for the man who holds the ace, but that none of them have ever seen his lonely face. This suggests that fortune and success are fleeting and can leave one feeling alone and isolated. The song can be interpreted as a call to action to make the most of the time we have and not take our existence for granted. Overall, the lyrics are reflective, melancholic, and evoke a sense of urgency to make the most of life.
Line by Line Meaning
As time begins to burn itself upon me
I am acutely aware that time is slipping away from me.
And the days are growing very short
Time is running out, and my opportunities are dwindling.
People try their hardest to reject me
I feel shunned and unwelcome.
But in a way, their conscience won't be caught
I know that others may have their own reasons for keeping their distance from me.
Something's happen to me day by day
I'm undergoing a gradual change or transformation.
My pebble on the beach is getting washed away
I feel like I'm being worn down by the forces of time and circumstance.
Given everything that was mine to give
I've given it my all and done everything I could.
Now I'll turn around and find that there's no time to live
Despite my efforts, it seems that time has slipped away and I may not have a chance to truly live the life I wanted.
So often, I have seen that big wheel of fortune
I've observed many people experiencing success and good luck.
Spinning for the man, who holds the ace
These people often have an advantage or strong hand in life.
There's many that would change their places for him
Others may envy the success of those who are more fortunate.
But none of them have ever seen his lonely face
However, the cost of that success may be loneliness or other hidden struggles.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JIM CAPALDI, STEVE WINWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
As time begins to burn it's self upon me
And the days are growing very short
People try their hardest to reject me
But in a way their conscience won't be torn
Something's happen to me day by day
My pebble on the beach is getting' washed away yeah
Well I give it everything that is mine to give
Then I'll turn around to find that there is no time to live
So often I see the big wheel of fortune
Spinning for the man who holds the ace
There's many that'll change their places for me
But come to find I've never seen such lonely days
Something's happen to me day by day
My pebble on the beach is getting' washed away yeah
Well I give it everything that is mine to give
Then I'll turn around to find that there is no time to live
Phillip Meier
This by far one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded, god bless you Johnny Winter
Sandro Dias
Song by Traffic!
RJ PMH54
ONE of the finest albums every to be produce by Johnny Winter And! No Time To Live is a true classic. Another great song by Johnny on this album is Nothing Left! The year 1970 Classic! i
taildragger53
His voice was perfect for this song! Originally written and done by Steve Winwood & Traffic in 1968 but this arrangement blows the original sideways. Very haunting and poignant plus it sounds timeless.
Charles Moore
This guy was the greatest guitar hero to never get close to his fair share of radio play. God rest your soul John Dawson Winter!
Ken Musillo
WNEW FM NYC where rock lived played him often back in the day,glad I seen him filmore east circa 1968-69
Anthony F.
This cover is a masterpiece and Johnny at his best.
deanslist101
A great interpretation of the Traffic song from their second album. Johnny's voice sounds a little like Stevie Winwood's here but the blues guitar work is a step up from the original. Johnny makes a mistake here saying, "But in a way their conscience won't be taught" instead of "caught" but he can be forgiven for that. A beautiful job here.
Thomas Guitar player Richmond
Favorite album i can remember hearing this when i was a kid wondering who is this guy, finally ending up in my 46 yrs that Johnny was and is still one of my guitar hero's. Thank You
Robert Oetojo
a haunting voice by Johnny so much emotion to it n amazing guitar works