WHEN in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary….
Boomer Anthems: In which Johnny Winter and friends rip the skin off “Highway 61”
byVanderleunonOctober 26, 2022
Johnny & Edgar Winter + Rick Derringer doing it southeast Texas style!
Now the rovin’ gambler he was very bored
He was tryin’ to create a next world war
He found a promoter who nearly fell off the floor
He said I never engaged in this kind of thing before But yes I think it can be very easily done
We’ll just put some bleachers out in the sun
And have it on Highway 61
Many myths are attached to the above Hang On Sloopy song/video. The girl could dance and put young punks like myself in a trance. None of the girls I dated back then wore a bra. Truly some “good old days”.
FrankensteinerOctober 26, 2022, 9:29 PM
Edgar Winter Frankenstein is a classic.
The brothers sued DC comics over the Jonah Hex comics with bloodthirsty mega villains named Edgar and John.
The court ruled in favor of DC on first amendment grounds.
Johnny Winter was a living and breathing advertisement of what drugs and booze can do to body and soul. From “Still Alive and Well” to this?
I listened to the final interview he gave before his death. John Fetterman makes more sense than Winter did.
ghostsniperOctober 27, 2022, 4:44 AM
Firebird
madmarcOctober 27, 2022, 4:54 AM
No offense to Mr. Austin, regardless of Johnny’s self abuse, his music saved my ass back in the old 80’s days, when he released ” Guitar Slinger”. I was going through a miserable breakup with a long time girlfriend who was 1000 miles away, and stuck in a job in the wilderness of northern Minnesota. I was spiritually miserable, and couldn’t listen to anything on the radio as it was all sad or sappy “love lost” type of music.
One day I was driving into my miserable job and happened to catch a blues radio station, and they were playing that album and it helped snap me out of a blue funk, really raised my spirits, and I have long since loved his music because of it. He rarely received credit in books about great blues players, even though he was a superb guitarist and had more soul in his voice than many who were considered more successful. He wasn’t really even acknowledged as a great blues man until after his death.
He played rock and roll, country, soul and rhythm and blues. The fact that drugs and alcohol destroyed his life doesn’t take away from how superb his music was. The same could be said for many great musicians. I miss his music. Sad that the best often seem to treat themselves the worst.
I probably have played the album “Still Alive and Well” 100 times. Every type of music you mentioned is on it. The words to “Ain’t Nothing to Me” is a lesson for every young man who wants to survive into adulthood.
Winter began playing Blues as a young lad in Beaumont, Texas. He would frequent the black clubs. When he was 16 B. B. King asked him up on stage to play guitar with him.
As mentioned, Johnny Winter’s lesson for young men:
“Ain’t Nothing To Me”
Take your drink to the end of the bar buddy.
Come on, now don’t be a fool.
I’d rather have the hot seat in Sing-Sing prison.
Than to sit down by her, on that stool.
What’s that ya say?
While I guess you’re right.
It ain’t nothin to me.
See that man, she belongs to him buddy.
Drink up, and leave while you can.
I can tell by the way he looks at you buddy.
He sure a quick tempered jealous man.
What’s that ya say?
While I guess you’re right.
It ain’t nothin to me.
There you are stretched out on the floor buddy.
Ya see what you made him do.
They’re coming to take him to the jail buddy.
And tomorrow someone will bury you.
Ah well that’s life.
Ah at least it was.
It ain’t nothin to me.
ghostsniperOctober 27, 2022, 1:08 PM
What red blooded white dood can’t relate to that?
My best friend in the army, way back when, that I still have regular contact with is a guitar slinger like me and his email address is Johnny Winter, bluesdawg@yahoo.com (slightly changed), and yes he plays a Firebird too.
And sometimes it goes the other way, if you’re lucky.
“Gimme Three Steps”
I was cutting the rug
Down at a place called The Jug
With a girl named Linda Lu
When in walked a man
With a gun in his hand
And he was looking for you know who.
He said, “Hey there fellow,
With the hair colored yellow,
What you tryin’ to prove?
‘Cause that’s my woman there
And I’m a man who cares
And this might be all for you.”
I said, “Excuse me.”
I was scared and fearing for my life.
I was shakin’ like a leaf on a tree.
‘Cause he was lean, mean,
Big and bad, Lord,
Pointin’ that gun at me.
Oh “Wait a minute, mister,
I didn’t even kiss her.
Don’t want no trouble with you.
And I know you don’t owe me
But I wish you’d let me
Ask one favor from you.”
“Oh, won’t you give me three steps,
Gimme three steps a-mister,
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps
Gimme three steps a-mister,
And you’ll never see a-me no more
For sure.”
Well the crowd cleared away
And I began to pray
And the water fell on the floor.
And I’m telling you son,
Well, it ain’t no fun
Staring straight down a forty-four.
Well he turned and screamed at Linda Lu
And that’s the break I was looking for.
And you could hear me screaming a mile away
As I was headed out towards the door.
“Oh, won’t you give me three steps,
Gimme three steps a-mister,
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps
Gimme three steps a-mister,
And you’ll never see a-me no more.”
I came close many times to the last verse of “It Ain’t Nothing to Me” and twice my “personal” life lay in the hands of another man whose property I had transgressed. I needed many more then “three steps”. My guess is that he did not want to go to prison, so off I went. I have now retired from such trivial frivolities and am much calmer therefore. I’ll live longer too.
About 14 years ago, Johnny Winters landed at the Klamath Falls Oregon airport. A HUGE mistake, his gig was in the town of KLAMATH Calif, I was on duty at the airport doing TSA security checks, mr Winters was pissed.
I asked if I might help him, “ he was pissed” Winters threw his arms in the air, and backing away quickly, saying “ I don’t want no problems with the man” I started laughing, Johnny I’m here to help you, I’m a huge fan, have pretty much everything you guys ever did in my album collection. He looked at me, you still have albums, Johnny I have thousands of albums, he mellowed out quickly.
Long story short I called my friend who managed the car rental station at the airport, she came down. We/she got him and the band hooked up with a rig, and very good directions. Johnny and the other band members present, shook my hand, I escorted them in my black and white to highway 97 south, and that was it.
In my hour spent with him, I found him to be guarded at first, yet when he realized I was trying to get his travel issue squared away, he turned out to be a good guy. Wicked quick witted.
His music fueled generations of Americans.
mhfOctober 31, 2022, 11:49 AM
johhny winter was from Leland, ms. his papa was mayor for years. true story. and guess where leland is? at intersection hwy 61 and 82. smack dab in the middle of ms delta and true home of the blues. bb king was from indianola, 15 miles east. and that’s where JW got his bonafides
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
Gerard Van der Leun
Comments on this entry are closed.
Rick Derringer did some darn cool gigs when he traveled through California. Dancing girls were a treat and this:
https://youtu.be/TlTKhPkZSJo
Many myths are attached to the above Hang On Sloopy song/video. The girl could dance and put young punks like myself in a trance. None of the girls I dated back then wore a bra. Truly some “good old days”.
Edgar Winter Frankenstein is a classic.
The brothers sued DC comics over the Jonah Hex comics with bloodthirsty mega villains named Edgar and John.
The court ruled in favor of DC on first amendment grounds.
Johnny Winter was a living and breathing advertisement of what drugs and booze can do to body and soul. From “Still Alive and Well” to this?
I listened to the final interview he gave before his death. John Fetterman makes more sense than Winter did.
Firebird
No offense to Mr. Austin, regardless of Johnny’s self abuse, his music saved my ass back in the old 80’s days, when he released ” Guitar Slinger”. I was going through a miserable breakup with a long time girlfriend who was 1000 miles away, and stuck in a job in the wilderness of northern Minnesota. I was spiritually miserable, and couldn’t listen to anything on the radio as it was all sad or sappy “love lost” type of music.
One day I was driving into my miserable job and happened to catch a blues radio station, and they were playing that album and it helped snap me out of a blue funk, really raised my spirits, and I have long since loved his music because of it. He rarely received credit in books about great blues players, even though he was a superb guitarist and had more soul in his voice than many who were considered more successful. He wasn’t really even acknowledged as a great blues man until after his death.
He played rock and roll, country, soul and rhythm and blues. The fact that drugs and alcohol destroyed his life doesn’t take away from how superb his music was. The same could be said for many great musicians. I miss his music. Sad that the best often seem to treat themselves the worst.
I probably have played the album “Still Alive and Well” 100 times. Every type of music you mentioned is on it. The words to “Ain’t Nothing to Me” is a lesson for every young man who wants to survive into adulthood.
Winter began playing Blues as a young lad in Beaumont, Texas. He would frequent the black clubs. When he was 16 B. B. King asked him up on stage to play guitar with him.
As mentioned, Johnny Winter’s lesson for young men:
“Ain’t Nothing To Me”
Take your drink to the end of the bar buddy.
Come on, now don’t be a fool.
I’d rather have the hot seat in Sing-Sing prison.
Than to sit down by her, on that stool.
What’s that ya say?
While I guess you’re right.
It ain’t nothin to me.
See that man, she belongs to him buddy.
Drink up, and leave while you can.
I can tell by the way he looks at you buddy.
He sure a quick tempered jealous man.
What’s that ya say?
While I guess you’re right.
It ain’t nothin to me.
There you are stretched out on the floor buddy.
Ya see what you made him do.
They’re coming to take him to the jail buddy.
And tomorrow someone will bury you.
Ah well that’s life.
Ah at least it was.
It ain’t nothin to me.
What red blooded white dood can’t relate to that?
My best friend in the army, way back when, that I still have regular contact with is a guitar slinger like me and his email address is Johnny Winter, bluesdawg@yahoo.com (slightly changed), and yes he plays a Firebird too.
And sometimes it goes the other way, if you’re lucky.
“Gimme Three Steps”
I was cutting the rug
Down at a place called The Jug
With a girl named Linda Lu
When in walked a man
With a gun in his hand
And he was looking for you know who.
He said, “Hey there fellow,
With the hair colored yellow,
What you tryin’ to prove?
‘Cause that’s my woman there
And I’m a man who cares
And this might be all for you.”
I said, “Excuse me.”
I was scared and fearing for my life.
I was shakin’ like a leaf on a tree.
‘Cause he was lean, mean,
Big and bad, Lord,
Pointin’ that gun at me.
Oh “Wait a minute, mister,
I didn’t even kiss her.
Don’t want no trouble with you.
And I know you don’t owe me
But I wish you’d let me
Ask one favor from you.”
“Oh, won’t you give me three steps,
Gimme three steps a-mister,
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps
Gimme three steps a-mister,
And you’ll never see a-me no more
For sure.”
Well the crowd cleared away
And I began to pray
And the water fell on the floor.
And I’m telling you son,
Well, it ain’t no fun
Staring straight down a forty-four.
Well he turned and screamed at Linda Lu
And that’s the break I was looking for.
And you could hear me screaming a mile away
As I was headed out towards the door.
“Oh, won’t you give me three steps,
Gimme three steps a-mister,
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps
Gimme three steps a-mister,
And you’ll never see a-me no more.”
Show me the back door.
I came close many times to the last verse of “It Ain’t Nothing to Me” and twice my “personal” life lay in the hands of another man whose property I had transgressed. I needed many more then “three steps”. My guess is that he did not want to go to prison, so off I went. I have now retired from such trivial frivolities and am much calmer therefore. I’ll live longer too.
About 14 years ago, Johnny Winters landed at the Klamath Falls Oregon airport. A HUGE mistake, his gig was in the town of KLAMATH Calif, I was on duty at the airport doing TSA security checks, mr Winters was pissed.
I asked if I might help him, “ he was pissed” Winters threw his arms in the air, and backing away quickly, saying “ I don’t want no problems with the man” I started laughing, Johnny I’m here to help you, I’m a huge fan, have pretty much everything you guys ever did in my album collection. He looked at me, you still have albums, Johnny I have thousands of albums, he mellowed out quickly.
Long story short I called my friend who managed the car rental station at the airport, she came down. We/she got him and the band hooked up with a rig, and very good directions. Johnny and the other band members present, shook my hand, I escorted them in my black and white to highway 97 south, and that was it.
In my hour spent with him, I found him to be guarded at first, yet when he realized I was trying to get his travel issue squared away, he turned out to be a good guy. Wicked quick witted.
His music fueled generations of Americans.
johhny winter was from Leland, ms. his papa was mayor for years. true story. and guess where leland is? at intersection hwy 61 and 82. smack dab in the middle of ms delta and true home of the blues. bb king was from indianola, 15 miles east. and that’s where JW got his bonafides