Stevie Ray had been in numerous bands before joining blues rock combo Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble in the late 1970's.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's debut album was released in 1983. The critically acclaimed Texas Flood (1983) featured the top-20 hit Pride and Joy and sold well in both blues and rock circles.
Stevie Ray Vaughan died August 27th, 1990 when his helicopter crashed into the Alpine Valley ski hill. He was on his way back from playing a guest appearance at an Eric Clapton concert at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Adult life and career
Vaughan's first recording band was called Paul Ray and the Cobras. They played at clubs and bars in Austin during the mid-1970s, and released one single.[2] Vaughan later recorded two other singles under the band name The Cobras.[3] Stevie left the Cobras, leaving Denny Freeman still in his role of original lead guitarist, and formed Triple Threat in late 1975, which included bassist Jackie Newhouse, drummer Chris Layton, vocalist Lou Ann Barton, and sax player Johnny Reno. Barton left the band in 1978 to pursue a solo career, followed by Reno in 1979. The three remaining members started performing under the name Double Trouble, inspired by an Otis Rush song of the same name. Vaughan became the band's lead singer.
Tommy Shannon, the bass player on Johnny Winter's early albums, replaced Newhouse in 1981. A popular Austin act, Vaughan soon attracted the attention of musicians David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Both Browne and Bowie first caught Vaughan at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival, where some members of the audience booed the band because they disliked Double Trouble's hard blues sound; the crowd response was quite different when they were subsequently invited to headline "Blues Night" at the festival in 1985.
In November, 1982, Vaughan recorded in Jackson Browne's studio in downtown Los Angeles. The recordings were brought to the attention of A&R man John Hammond and became Double Trouble's critically acclaimed first album, Texas Flood (1983), produced by Hammond; it featured the Top 20 hit "Pride and Joy" and sold 500,000 copies, earning the band a gold record. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, and its song "Rude Mood" was nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental". Vaughan won three categories in Guitar Player's readers poll: "Best New Talent", "Best Blues Album", and "Best Electric Blues Guitarist". He became the second guitarist to win three Guitar Player awards in one year (the first is Jeff Beck). Vaughan won the "Best Electric Blues Guitarist" award every year until 1991.
Also in 1983 Bowie featured Vaughan on his 1983 album Let's Dance.[4] Vaughan was asked to go on tour with Bowie, but declined so he could continue to play with Double Trouble. Reportedly, Vaughan, who was still driving a delivery truck to support himself, was furious when he saw Bowie pantomiming over Vaughan's guitar solo in the video for "Let's Dance".
The band's next album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, was recorded in January 1984. During mid-1984 Vaughan and Double Trouble made numerous TV appearances, performing on Rockpalast, MuchMusic, and Solid Gold.
During the Grammy Awards of 1984, Vaughan and George Thorogood presented Chuck Berry with a lifetime achievement award. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" from Couldn't Stand The Weather was nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance".
The band played Carnegie Hall in New York City on October 4, 1984. The show featured one Double Trouble set, and a second with guests Dr. John on keyboards, George Rains on drums, Jimmie Vaughan on guitar, Roomful of Blues Horns, and singer Angela Strehli. The group rehearsed in September 1984 at the Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, Texas.
In November, Vaughan won two W.C. Handy National Blues Awards: "Entertainer of the Year" and "Blues Instrumentalist of the Year". It was the first time a white person won either award. During this time, he also began recording with one of his earliest idols, blues-rock guitar pioneer Lonnie Mack, to produce the album Strike Like Lightning on the Alligator label.
In late January 1985, the band went on a six-night Japanese tour with various interviews and performances. In March, the band started to produce their third album Soul to Soul. Reese Wynans, a former keyboardist with Captain Beyond and Delbert McClinton's band, was added to the band not long after. The album's production lasted for two months. On April 10 Vaughan played "The Star Spangled Banner" for opening day of the National League baseball season at the Houston Astrodome (supposedly he didn't get a good audience response from that crowd; he did, at least, get to meet former New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle afterwards). Soul to Soul was released on September 30, 1985; Vaughan received his fifth Grammy nomination: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for one of its songs, "Say What!".
In the following months of 1986, Vaughan and Double Trouble went on tour in New Zealand. It was around this time that he met Janna Lapidus, a touring model in New Zealand.
In mid-1986, the band was considering ideas of a new album, particularly a live album. Shows were set up at the Austin Opera House and at the Dallas Starfest. Audiences saw Vaughan struggle through these shows, as some of the original recordings were filled with technical difficulties.
On August 27, 1986, the Vaughan brothers' father, Big Jim, passed away of heart failure. A funeral was arranged two days later. The boys rushed home to comfort their mother, yet had little time to mourn. After the funeral was finished, a jet rushed Vaughan to Montreal, Quebec, where he played the "Labatt Blues Fest" (in Quebec, so named for their flagship beer "Labatt Blue"), known elsewhere as the "Miller Beer Festival" in Jarry Park.
The recordings in both Dallas and Austin, as well as the Montreux Jazz Festival, were edited and later released on Live Alive in November 1986.
Studio Albums:
Texas Flood (1983)
Couldn't Stand the Weather (1984)
Soul to Soul (1985)
In Step (1989)
Family Style (with Brother Jimmie Vaughan as "The Vaughan Brothers", 1990)
The Sky Is Crying (posthumous release) (1991)
Official live audio releases:
In the Beginning (Live, recorded 1980)
In Session (Live, with Albert King, recorded 1983)
Live at Carnegie Hall (Live, recorded 1984)
Live Alive (Live, recorded 1986)
Live At Montreux 1982 & 1985' (Live, recorded 1982 & 1985)
Wolfgang's Vault releases: http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/stevie-ray-vaughan
Compilations:
Greatest Hits (1995)
The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (1995)
The Real Deal: Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1999)
Blues at Sunrise (2000)
SRV (box set, with early recordings, rarities, hits, and live material) (2000)
Leave My Girl Alone
Stevie Ray Vaughan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You better leave, you better leave my little girl alone
Lord before I get evil man, and I go and do something wrong
You call my house, just yesterday
I picked up the extension and I heard every word you say
Why don't you just go, man and leave my little girl alone
Now before I get evil man, and I go and do something wrong
You call my house all hours of the night
Let me tell you mister that's a sure, sure way to start a fight
Why don't you just go on man and leave my little girl alone
Lord before I get evil man and I'm gonna do something wrong
The song "Leave My Girl Alone" by Stevie Ray Vaughan is a classic blues song that speaks about a man who warns another man to stay away from his woman. The lyrics are quite clear in their message, and the song is an example of the classic blues theme of romantic jealousy. Vaughan's expert guitar playing and raw vocals add to the emotional intensity of the song, conveying the sense of desperation in the singer's voice.
As the song progresses, the singer pleads with the other man to leave his girl alone, warning him of the consequences of his actions. "Lord before I get evil man, and I go and do something wrong," the singer declares, invoking the classic blues theme of violence as an inevitable consequence of romantic betrayal. Throughout the song, Vaughan's guitar playing is fierce and intense, conveying the passion and anger of the singer's emotions.
"Leave My Girl Alone" is a classic example of the blues style, with strong vocals and expert guitar playing. It speaks to the intense emotions that can arise in romantic relationships, and the feelings of jealousy and possessiveness that can sometimes follow.
Line by Line Meaning
You better leave, you better leave my little girl alone
I'm warning you to stay away from my daughter and leave her alone.
You better leave, you better leave my little girl alone
I repeat, you need to leave my daughter alone and not bother her.
Lord before I get evil man, and I go and do something wrong
I don't want to take violent action against you, so leave before I lose my temper.
You call my house, just yesterday
I'm aware you contacted me recently.
I picked up the extension and I heard every word you say
I intercepted your conversation while eavesdropping on your phone call.
Why don't you just go, man and leave my little girl alone
My message is clear: stay away from my daughter and leave her be.
Now before I get evil man, and I go and do something wrong
I'm giving you one last chance to leave, or I might resort to violence.
You call my house all hours of the night
I'm aware you've been calling me at all times of day and night.
Let me tell you mister that's a sure, sure way to start a fight
I'm warning you that continuously pestering me will eventually lead to physical confrontation.
Why don't you just go on man and leave my little girl alone
I'm advising you, one more time, to leave my daughter alone and not cause any trouble.
Lord before I get evil man and I'm gonna do something wrong
I don't want to resort to violence, but you're pushing me to my limit. Leave before I snap.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Buddy Guy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kengraff5582
Nobody...nobody plays as hard, crisp, and clean as Stevie! Hands down the best guitar player EVER!
@jeffdubuque5622
love those rapid fire licks in that solo. wow.
@minorsnow5306
Ken Graff. This guy had his shit together!!
@scottmacdonald5605
best BLUES guitar player ever. Guthrie Govan is probably the best I have ever heard as far as technique and overall mastery of the instrument. Don't me wrong, SRV is my favorite player but to say he's "the best" is subjective.
@LEEMURJ
Ken Graff soo jimi was an innovator....without jimi there would be no jimi. With that said and the fact that I don't know crap about guitar playing or music.....it's hard NOT to say he is the best. My ears tell me so. Love jimi though...I think they are equally great in their own way. Man I just said two different things.....either way.....I love Srv! I may break my starter pack guitar thing trying to learn this song!
@scottmacdonald5605
@LEEMURJ lol - I agree that if I had to choose just one player to point to to put an encyclopedia under the description; "guitar player" he is my choice. But there are a whole slew of players out there that will blown your mind - may I suggest Gary Moore, Guthrie Govan, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Via, Marcus King, Jeff Healey, Warren Haynes - to name a few. Still SRV is the guy I would most want to emulate and I do try my best to do that. I am a player and I do play mostly blues and a lot of SRV. To what degree of success would be for others to say....lol
@vbear8501
That voice! All know his guitar but few mention that he was blessed with a bluesman’s voice.
@youcanbesmartaskhow3857
I firmly believe if he just sang and jimmy played lead we'd be missing one of the greatest VOICES in all of music- yes, guitar playing aside [hard to imagine]
@codjh9
When I was a lot younger, I was mainly paying attention to his guitar godness, but you're right... I've been listening to him a lot again lately, and his voice really fit his material. Damned good job.
@Mr.CliffysWorld
I think Gary Moore is in that same category he had a great Blues voice but no one ever talks about it