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.
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Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't ya feel it, baby?
You know that my love goes deeper than sin
Can't ya feel it, baby?
The shock of ya, ow, make me feel so fine
Lightenin' flashin' up my spine
I'll jump into the river and drown
If I can't make ya happy
I'll jump into the river and drown
Can't ya feel it?
You know you give me fever, you're out of control
Can't ya feel it, baby?
You're looking like I'm never wanna let you go
Can't ya feel it, baby?
The shock of ya, ow, make me feel so fine
Lightenin' flashin' up my spine
If I can't make ya happy
I'll jump into the river and drown
I can't make ya happy
I'll jump into the river and drown, yeah
Outside the window, I'm tryin' to get in
Can't ya feel it, baby?
You know that my love goes deeper than sin
Can't ya feel it, baby?
I guess ya got me under your magic spell
Right between heaven and hell
And if I can't make ya happy
I'll jump into the river and drown
Can't make ya happy
I'll jump into the river and drown
I can't make ya happy
Gonna jump into the river and drown, yeah
The song "Can't You Feel It" by Johnny Winter is a love song about a man who is deeply in love with his partner, but he is worried that his love is not being reciprocated. The song starts with the lyrics "Outside the window, I'm tryin' to get in, Can't ya feel it, baby?" This line could be interpreted metaphorically, suggesting that the man is trying to enter his partner's heart and get closer to her emotionally. He then goes on to convey the depth of his love, singing "You know that my love goes deeper than sin, Can't ya feel it, baby?" This line suggests that the man's love is so profound that it is almost sinful in its intensity.
The song's chorus contains the repetition of the line "If I can't make ya happy, I'll jump into the river and drown." This line suggests that the man's love is so all-consuming that he is willing to do anything to make his partner happy, even if it means risking his own life. The song's lyrics also contain some sensual imagery, including the line "You know you give me fever, you're out of control," which suggests that the woman's beauty and allure are almost too much for the man to handle.
Overall, "Can't You Feel It" is a heartfelt love song that explores the complex emotions of love and desire. It is a song that celebrates the power of love and the lengths that people will go to in order to express their feelings for the ones they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Outside the window, I'm tryin' to get in
I am reaching out to you and trying to connect, but feeling blocked or shut out.
Can't ya feel it, baby?
Can't you sense my intense desire for you?
You know that my love goes deeper than sin
My love for you is powerful and intense, transcending any flaws or imperfections.
The shock of ya, ow, make me feel so fine
Your presence and energy is electrifying and invigorating to me.
Lightenin' flashin' up my spine
Your effect on me is like the intense energy of a lightning bolt, coursing through my body.
If I can't make ya happy
If I am unable to bring joy and fulfillment to your life,
I'll jump into the river and drown
I am willing to do anything, even sacrifice my own wellbeing, to make you happy.
You know you give me fever, you're out of control
You have an intoxicating effect on me, making me feel feverish and powerless in your presence.
You're looking like I'm never wanna let you go
You are so breathtaking and amazing that I never want to lose you.
I guess ya got me under your magic spell
You have an irresistible power over me, like a spell or enchantment.
Right between heaven and hell
Being near you is like being caught between two extreme states - paradise and damnation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAN HARTMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jerry Mazzola
I went to school with Johnny and Edgar, Beaumont, Texas [Sin City], early 60's jamming in their music room attic in Caldwood, Johnny was 2 grades ahead of me and Edgar was in my class, BHS. We'd all go across the river, to Louisiana , 18 drinking age [ we were 14 & 15 [fake ID's out the ying yang, to the swinging est nightclub on Earth, the Big Oaks, ran by Mr. and Mrs. Clemon Hebert [Abear]. Every Fri. and Sat. night we swung like Tarzan, and the hunt for the most dangerous animal was on, that being pretty babies! ouh la la, wake up Little Susie, we gotta go home. Man, all i can say is...it jeeeest couldn't have been better. Johnny, Edgar and Jerry [Count Jackson] and GG Shinn, to name a few, played and we drank and danced the night away!
Pat Anderson
Very good! His singing voice changed a lot over the years. Great vocals.
Scott White
Great song with superb vocals and guitar...his playing kept getting better and man!...did his voice change as he got older!
ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ
Nice song. RIP Johnny.