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.
Prodigal Son
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta have your morning glory
Keep on having your fun
It'll be the same old story soon.
Soon it will be afternoon
Sun getting hot as a fine
Never mind.
Keep on waiting to die
Keep on wondering why
Afternoon
Afternoon
Burn on, celestial star
Burn away the times that find you
Move on wherever you are
? do the thing that one will find you here
You won't have nothing to fear
But time slipping away
Day by day
Keep on watching the sky
Keep on waiting to die
Keep on wondering why
Afternoon
Afternoon
Shine bright prodigal son
Rushed off to your happy ending
Good night, celestial one
No use wasting time pretending now
Now that you ?
Hating the time and the space?
Lose that race
Keep on watching the sky
Keep on waiting to die
Keep on wondering why
Afternoon
Afternoon
The Prodigal Son is a parable from the Bible, and in this song, Johnny Winter seems to reference it as a way to express his own feelings of being lost and searching for a purpose. The song begins by urging the prodigal son to keep shining and living his life, but warns him that eventually, he'll have to face the consequences of his actions. The lyrics also mention watching the sky, waiting to die, and wondering why, suggesting a sense of despair and confusion for the singer.
As the song progresses, Winter shifts his focus to a celestial star, which he urges to burn away the times that find it, and move on towards its own destiny. The lyrics suggest a desire for freedom and a need to let go of the past, but also acknowledge the fear of time slipping away and day by day passing by. The song ends with Winter bidding the prodigal son goodnight, and suggesting that it's time to stop pretending and face reality, all while watching the sky and wondering about life's mysteries.
Overall, the lyrics of "Prodigal Son" convey a sense of hope mixed with despair, and a desire to live life to the fullest while grappling with the inevitability of time and mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
Shine on, prodigal son.
Continue with your life, even if you've made mistakes.
Gotta have your morning glory
Find your happiness and joy in life's simple pleasures.
Keep on having your fun
Keep doing what makes you happy and fulfilled.
It'll be the same old story soon.
Life has its cycles and patterns, and eventually things will repeat themselves.
Soon it will be afternoon
Time passes quickly, so make the most of every moment.
Sun getting hot as a fine
The heat can be intense, but you can persevere through it.
Never mind.
Don't worry, things will work out in the end.
Keep on watching the sky
Stay aware of the world around you and the changes happening.
Keep on waiting to die
Accept that death is a natural part of life and don't fear it.
Keep on wondering why
Question the world around you and continue to seek answers.
Burn on, celestial star
Keep shining and being a beacon for others, no matter where you go.
Burn away the times that find you
Leave negative memories and experiences behind.
Move on wherever you are
Make progress and keep moving forward, no matter where you find yourself.
? do the thing that one will find you here
Do what you love and what you're passionate about, and others will follow you.
You won't have nothing to fear
If you're true to yourself and your passions, there's nothing to fear in life.
But time slipping away
Time is finite and can't be controlled, so make the most of every moment.
Day by day
Life is a series of days and moments, so focus on each one individually.
Shine bright prodigal son
Continue to shine and spread light, even if you've made mistakes.
Rushed off to your happy ending
Follow your happiness and find your own happy ending in life.
Good night, celestial one
Rest well and peacefully, like a celestial being.
No use wasting time pretending now
Don't waste time being someone you're not or pretending to be someone else.
Now that you ?
Now that you've found your true self and passion...
Hating the time and the space?
Do you have any regrets or wish you had done things differently?
Lose that race
Don't worry about trying to win every race or battle in life, just focus on being true to yourself and finding happiness.
Keep on watching the sky
Stay connected with the world around you and appreciate its beauty.
Keep on waiting to die
Accept the inevitability of death and make the most of the time you have left.
Keep on wondering why
Continue to question the world and seek answers, even if they're elusive.
Afternoon
As time marches on, we move into the later stages of life.
Afternoon
As time marches on, we move into the later stages of life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNNY WINTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevinmurphy4595
Thats soooo fucking cool man...WHAT a f ing experience...Im happy for you man, thats what we live for as musicians.....the closest I got to the Winter Bros was playing slide guitar on a session produced by bassist/vocalist/composer the legendary Vernon Porter. Vernon was the original bass player for legendary fusion band "Larsen-Feiten " band....This was circa 93....
On that session Tenor icon Jon Smith from Edgar Winters White Trash horn section played sax.....I was called to play bottleneck/slide on a cut "Flat Creek" Band/CD title was " I-TEX"}, Anyway I was supposed to take a plane but money man was busted for"cultivation" which was still a big deal at that time, so I wound up taking a Greyhound from DC to Dallas......Oh Man.....
I was so exhausted, and it was a tuff time in my life, had just gone through cancer and divorce in the same year the year previous, and in many ways was still in diapers....AT any rate, it was 24 hrs on that bus, no sleep and the bathroom was broken...RIGHT?!.... Finally get there and I cant even get in the ball park w/ my solo.....I stunk up the joint doin take after take till finally Vernon said " I love ya Murph and you know I think you a bad boy or you wouldnt be here, but you're startin to cost me money, so if you dont cop this next take you're gonna have to cop a walk"
The song was a classic Nawlins 2nd Line rhythm, w/ a knocked out horn section hittin like James Brown/Tower Of Power, arranged by Vernon, who everyone in the business knows is a straight up genius. Vernon played w/ Kenny Loggins, taking over for my dear friend George Hawkins Jr, and also Bette Midler, Dave Mason, Tim Weisberg and his own "Denham/Porter Band feat sax legend Vince Denham who not only played w/ Al Jarreau, Mike McDonald, Marvin Gaye Elvis and everyone else BUT was so bad he was "1ist Chair in the Don Ellis Big Band"
Meanwhile back at the ranch I was thinking that the cut was crying for a Lowell George type slide motif, w/ emphasis on "less is more", which was how Lowell usually operated BUT the man had dangerous chops when he wanted to showcase them....{Ironically, I ended up recording w/ Little Feat bassist Kenny Gradney couple years ago} , anyway ...I didnt want to play something "predictable" but at the same time was desperate to hit "something" that resonated, so to speak...AND conceptually "fit" the track.....
So I said "F THIS, I aint goin back home w/ my tail between my legs, so I shotgunned a tallboy, took a hit of some Honkey Killer weed they had there and then pulled a "dotted 8th note"Be Bop solo out of my ass andall over that 2nd line feel and the place exploded...I mean EVERYONE was yelling, probably as much in relief as the Dig Me shit...LOL...
The composer, whose name escapes me, was so knocked out w/ what I did that he played the solo over and over and over during the ride all the way to Austin from Dallas, which is where we did the recording....and I was thankfully not only vindicated but something of a hero for a minute, or 15 LOL
Cheers guys
@lookitsapanther
Shine on prodigal son,
Got to have your morning glory,
Keep on having your fun,
It'll be the same old story, soon.
Soon, it will be afternoon,
Fun's getting harder to find, never mind,
Keep on watching the sky,
Keep on waiting to die,
Keep on wondering why,
Afternoon, afternoon, yeah.
Burn on celestial star,
Burn away the ties that bind you,
Groove on wherever you are,
Do your thing, no-one will find you here,
You won't have nothing to fear,
But time keeps slipping away, day by day,
Keep on watching the sky,
Keep on waiting to die,
Keep on wondering why,
Afternoon, afternoon, yeah.
Shine bright, prodigal son,
Listen to your happy ending,
Good night celestial one,
No use wasting time pretending, now,
Now that you've broken your star,
Made in your time and your space,
Oh, you'll lose that race,
Keep on watching the sky,
Keep on waiting to die,
Keep on wondering why,
Afternoon, afternoon, yeah.
@kevinmurphy4595
@biakabutooka NOPE not lyin. I met and got to know Monika Van Danemann Jimis fiance...met her at Jimis grave in Renton, back in 95 at 25th anniversary of Jimis passing....long story...sat at Jimis grave that day and played Amazing Grace on my strat w/a slide ....film crew crept up on me while I was in that sacred place...asked me if I wanted to be on the news...I ran for my life and ran RIGHT into Monika...we talked became friends ...I already knew Jimi and Johnny had this mutual admiration thing going, she confirmed that......makes perfect sense...
Anyway,
I came home from that visit ..was my 40th birthday.....That night I dreamed Jimi was in my apt playing and singing "May This Be Love" on his white strat and when it came to the middle section, he played an ascending octave run that was so galvanizing I woke right up......Had goosebumps .....could still feel his presence....
Im a professional guitar player now for over 40 years..www.jukejointjkers.com opened for or played w/ a lotta cats, mostly blues guys like Bobby Parker, Sonny Rhodes, Bernard Allison, Walter Trout, Hollywood Fats, even Muddy,......Tito Puente, Eddie Money, Southside Johnny And The Ashbury Jukes, Don Preston...to name a few
{Nothing on YouTube,} long story, suffice to say my career was well in place long before You Tube was hatched....will get videoed once COVID goes away but dig the site in the meantime
so "NO Bruh"I aint lyn...
Peace
@hernanian
can anyboby tell me what lyrics are in the missing verse please?
"Shine on, prodigal son.
Gotta have your morning glory
Keep on having your fun
It'll be the same old story soon
Soon it'll be afternoon
--> ???? <--
Never mind"
I couldn´t find it right on the whole internet. I keep finding like "sun´s getting hot on the bind" or whatever. Thanks a lot for any help.
@MrKim2288
Winter/Derringer were one of the great guitarist teams imo. Derringer's tendencies towards pop were always tempered nicely by Winter's bluesy rawness. Both killer guitarists. Can it ever get any better than Johnny Winter And Live? The classic electric blues album!
@hamhockdoc
I played with Johnny and Edgar from 1959 to 1965 I learned enough music to play for 53 years.
@winterguitarkingyea
Totally awesome, you are fortunate, you must be a fine musician to be in with Johnny and Edgar Winter
@Head318Hunter
That is awesome man!! I bet you have many great memories.
@terriejohnston8801
Hello.. 🎵🎧just curious.. Where did you call home AFTER the Great Gig w JW.?
@sealisa1398
Cool, you must have some great stories. As a wee teenager I completely loved Johnny. RIP.
@kevinmurphy4595
Thats soooo fucking cool man...WHAT a f ing experience...Im happy for you man, thats what we live for as musicians.....the closest I got to the Winter Bros was playing slide guitar on a session produced by bassist/vocalist/composer the legendary Vernon Porter. Vernon was the original bass player for legendary fusion band "Larsen-Feiten " band....This was circa 93....
On that session Tenor icon Jon Smith from Edgar Winters White Trash horn section played sax.....I was called to play bottleneck/slide on a cut "Flat Creek" Band/CD title was " I-TEX"}, Anyway I was supposed to take a plane but money man was busted for"cultivation" which was still a big deal at that time, so I wound up taking a Greyhound from DC to Dallas......Oh Man.....
I was so exhausted, and it was a tuff time in my life, had just gone through cancer and divorce in the same year the year previous, and in many ways was still in diapers....AT any rate, it was 24 hrs on that bus, no sleep and the bathroom was broken...RIGHT?!.... Finally get there and I cant even get in the ball park w/ my solo.....I stunk up the joint doin take after take till finally Vernon said " I love ya Murph and you know I think you a bad boy or you wouldnt be here, but you're startin to cost me money, so if you dont cop this next take you're gonna have to cop a walk"
The song was a classic Nawlins 2nd Line rhythm, w/ a knocked out horn section hittin like James Brown/Tower Of Power, arranged by Vernon, who everyone in the business knows is a straight up genius. Vernon played w/ Kenny Loggins, taking over for my dear friend George Hawkins Jr, and also Bette Midler, Dave Mason, Tim Weisberg and his own "Denham/Porter Band feat sax legend Vince Denham who not only played w/ Al Jarreau, Mike McDonald, Marvin Gaye Elvis and everyone else BUT was so bad he was "1ist Chair in the Don Ellis Big Band"
Meanwhile back at the ranch I was thinking that the cut was crying for a Lowell George type slide motif, w/ emphasis on "less is more", which was how Lowell usually operated BUT the man had dangerous chops when he wanted to showcase them....{Ironically, I ended up recording w/ Little Feat bassist Kenny Gradney couple years ago} , anyway ...I didnt want to play something "predictable" but at the same time was desperate to hit "something" that resonated, so to speak...AND conceptually "fit" the track.....
So I said "F THIS, I aint goin back home w/ my tail between my legs, so I shotgunned a tallboy, took a hit of some Honkey Killer weed they had there and then pulled a "dotted 8th note"Be Bop solo out of my ass andall over that 2nd line feel and the place exploded...I mean EVERYONE was yelling, probably as much in relief as the Dig Me shit...LOL...
The composer, whose name escapes me, was so knocked out w/ what I did that he played the solo over and over and over during the ride all the way to Austin from Dallas, which is where we did the recording....and I was thankfully not only vindicated but something of a hero for a minute, or 15 LOL
Cheers guys
@taildragger53
As a 14 yr old back in 1970 I recall going to my fave record shop and my eyes were drawn to the cover of this LP. Such an economical cover but SO perfect. Loved every track on it. To this day it remains my fave Johnny Winter record.
@jimgouwens9930
Same here!
@sealisa1398
We must be in the same age group...same exact story with me. This song has always haunted me, so many memories.