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.
Slippin
Johnny Winter Lyrics
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Been told a long time ago
Slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
Been told a long time ago
I've been told, baby, you've been bold
I won't be your fool no more
Oh, big conniver, ain't nothin' but a jiver
Oh, big conniver, ain't nothin' but a jiver
Done got hip to her jive
Slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
And I won't be your fool no more
Oh, Miss. Melinda, she's a solid sender
That girl, she'd better surrender
Oh, Miss. Melinda, she's a solid sender
You know you better surrender
Slippin' and slidin', peepin' and hidin'
And I won't be your fool no more
You be slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
Been told a long time a time ago
Slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
Been told a long time ago
I've been told, baby, you've been bold
I won't be your fool no more
I said you, oh, Miss. Melinda, you ain't nothin' but a sender
Better, better to surrender girl
Oh, Miss. Melinda, ain't nothin' but a sender
You know you better surrender
You be slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
I won't be your fool no more
Slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
I won't be your fool no more
The song "Slippin' and Slidin'" by Johnny Winter is about a man who has been deceived by a woman whom he had initially trusted. He's been told a long time ago about her manipulative ways, and how she has been slipping and sliding and peeping and hiding around him. She's a big conniver, and the singer has finally gotten hip to her jive. The chorus expresses his frustration with her games and his decision to no longer be her fool. The lyrics also mention a Miss Melinda, who is a solid sender, but even she is urged to surrender her deceitful ways.
The song highlights the theme of betrayal and how it can cause an individual to feel deceived and used. The lyrics reveal the singer's ability to recognize the manipulative ways of the woman and how he has learned to see through her false facade. The use of repetition throughout the song emphasizes the singer's strong resolve to no longer allow himself to be fooled by her again.
The song was originally written in 1956 by Little Richard, who released it as a single in the same year. It was later covered by many other artists, including Buddy Holly, who had a minor hit with the song in 1957. Johnny Winter's version was released in 1972 as part of his "Saints & Sinners" album.
Line by Line Meaning
Slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
Trying to avoid capture or detection
Been told a long time ago
Informed previously
I've been told, baby, you've been bold
Being informed about the betrayer's courageous behavior
I won't be your fool no more
Refusing to be cheated or fooled
Oh, big conniver, ain't nothin' but a jiver
Describing a manipulator, who appears to be doing something, but actually isn't
Done got hip to her jive
Being aware of the manipulator's dishonest behavior
Oh, Miss. Melinda, she's a solid sender
Melinda is a resourceful person, who is dependable in sending messages or communication
That girl, she'd better surrender
Melinda should stop deceiving or hiding
You be slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin'
Addressing the betrayer, warning them of their deceitful behavior
I said you, oh, Miss. Melinda, you ain't nothin' but a sender
Reiterating that Melinda is reliable in sending messages
You know you better surrender
Advising Melinda to stop hiding or being deceptive
I won't be your fool no more
Conveying that the singer will no longer be deceived or manipulated
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Albert Collins, Edurin Bogage, James Smith, Richard Penniman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind