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.
That's What Love Does
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stayed out late all night
You almost drive me crazy baby
You know that that's not right
That's what love does to you baby
That's what love does to you baby
That's what love does to you baby
Well I told you one time baby
I told you once before
Better get it right this time
I ain't gonna tell you no more
That's what love does to you baby
That's what love does to you baby
That's what love does to you baby
It will almost drive you crazy, oh yeah
(Instrumental)
Well, the moon it shines in daytime
The sun it shines all night
You may think that I'm crazy, baby
You know you might be right
That's what love does to you baby
That's what love does to you baby
That's what love does to you baby
It will almost drive you crazy, oh yeah
In Johnny Winter's song "That's What Love Does," the lyrics explore the intense emotions and unpredictability that come with falling in love. The singer acknowledges that despite his best efforts, his love for his partner has caused him to stay out late and act erratically. He admits that this behavior could drive him to the brink, but he can't help the way he feels. He warns his partner that they must get things right, or he won't keep repeating himself.
Throughout the song, Winter uses a variety of metaphors and contradictions to describe the intense feelings associated with love. For example, he says that the moon shines during the daytime and that the sun shines at night, illustrating the confusion and contradictions that may arise when a person is in love. The repeated refrain of "That's what love does to you, baby" emphasizes the power of love to both elevate and destabilize a person's life, highlighting that the phenomenon can be both joyous and dangerous.
The lyrics of "That's What Love Does" reveal the complexity of love and the struggles that come with it. Despite the challenges, the song suggests that love remains a powerful force in our lives that we cannot control, but we can learn to embrace.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you know I love you baby
I am in love with you and I want you to know
I stayed out late all night
I was out late, possibly doing things I shouldn't have, but it was because of my love for you
You almost drive me crazy baby
Your actions, possibly because of jealousy or insecurity, are making me feel insane
You know that that's not right
I am aware that your behavior towards me is not acceptable or healthy
That's what love does to you baby
Being in love can have a strong effect on a person's emotions, causing them to act in ways they wouldn't normally
It will almost drive you crazy, oh yeah
The powerful feelings of love can push a person to their limits and cause them to feel overwhelmed or out of control
Well I told you one time baby
I have communicated this issue to you before
I told you once before
I have already mentioned this to you
Better get it right this time
I need you to understand and rectify your behavior towards me, for the sake of our relationship
I ain't gonna tell you no more
I am exhausted from repeating myself and won't do it again
The moon it shines in daytime
This is a metaphor indicating that things don't always make sense or follow a pattern
The sun it shines all night
Another metaphor to further illustrate the idea that things can be unpredictable or unusual
You may think that I'm crazy, baby
You might believe that my reactions or requests are irrational
You know you might be right
Acknowledging the possibility that their perception of me is correct
Contributed by Austin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.