Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Cramer grew up in the small town of Huttig, Arkansas, teaching himself to play the piano. After finishing high school, he returned to Shreveport, where he worked as a pianist for the Louisiana Hayride radio show.
In 1952, he made his way to Nashville at a time when the use of piano accompanists in country music was growing in popularity. Before long, Cramer would become one of the busiest studio musicians in the industry, playing piano for stars such as Elvis Presley, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, The Browns, Jim Reeves, Roy Orbison, Don Gibson and the Everly Brothers, and many others. It is Cramer's piano that is heard, for example, on Presley's first national hit, "Heartbreak Hotel."
However, Cramer remained a virtual unknown to anyone but music industry insiders until he recorded a 45 rpm single in 1960 called "Last Date." An instrumental, the music exhibited a relatively new concept for piano playing known as the "slip note" style. The record went to Number two on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart. By the mid-1960s, Cramer had become a respected performer, making numerous record albums and touring with guitar maestro Chet Atkins and saxophonist Boots Randolph.
Floyd Cramer died of lung cancer in 1997 at the age of 64 and was interred in the Spring Hill Cemetery in the Nashville suburb of Madison, Tennessee.
In 2003, he was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee offers the "Floyd Cramer Competitive Scholarship."
Fire And Rain
Floyd Cramer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I just can't remember who to send it to
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
Won't you look down upon me, Jesus
You've got to help me make a stand
You've just got to see me through another day
My body's aching and my time is at hand
I won't make it any other way
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I'd see you again
Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun
Lord knows when the cold wind blows, it'll turn your head around
Well there's hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I'd see you baby, one more time again, now
Thought I'd see you one more time again
There's just a few things coming my way this time around now
Thought I'd see you, thought I'd see you, fire and rain now
Na na na. Na na na na na na na na na na. Na na na na na na na na
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I'd see you baby, one more time again, now
Thought I'd see you one more time again
There's just a few things coming my way this time around now
Thought I'd see you, thought I'd see you, fire and rain now
The song "Fire and Rain" by Floyd Cramer tells the story of the singer's emotional journey through various experiences, including love, loss, addiction, and spiritual crisis. The lyrics begin with the songwriter receiving news that someone he cares about has passed away. He writes a song to express his feelings but admits that he doesn't know who to send it to. The song goes on to describe the ups and downs of life, including moments of joy and moments of despair. The songwriter calls out to Jesus for help, admitting that he needs assistance to make it through another day. The final verse reflects on the fragility of life and the singer's desire to see his loved ones again.
The chorus of "Fire and Rain" is perhaps the most well-known part of the song, and it speaks to the idea that life is full of unexpected events, both good and bad. The lyrics suggest that the singer has experienced a lot of hardship, but he remains hopeful that he will one day be reunited with those he has lost. In this way, the song is both melancholy and optimistic, reflecting the complex emotions that arise when we confront mortality and the challenges of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Just yesterday mornin', they let me know you were gone
I was informed yesterday morning that you had passed away
Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you
The plans that were made for you, Suzanne, resulted in your death
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I wrote this song this morning after walking out of my house
I just can't remember who to send it to
Unfortunately, I cannot recall who I should send it to
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
Throughout my life, I've experienced both moments of great passion and difficult times
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've experienced good times that I thought would continue indefinitely
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
I've also had periods of overwhelming loneliness when no one could be found
But I always thought that I'd see you again
Despite all this, I never thought I'd lose you forever
Won't you look down upon me, Jesus
Jesus, please take pity on me
You've got to help me make a stand
I'm pleading with you to lend me strength
You've just got to see me through another day
Please help me survive just one more day
My body's aching and my time is at hand
I've reached the end of my rope, physically and emotionally
I won't make it any other way
I'm convinced that only your help can pull me through this
Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun
I've been daydreaming lately and avoiding reality
Lord knows when the cold wind blows, it'll turn your head around
I know that eventually reality will catch up and shake me up
Well there's hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come
I have plenty of time to discuss and plan for the future on the phone
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground
Dreams and plans often fail, like a broken airplane on the ground
Thought I'd see you one more time again
I really believed I would have the chance to see you again
There's just a few things coming my way this time around now
There are only a few things that I expect to achieve in my life from now on
Thought I'd see you, thought I'd see you, fire and rain now
I was so sure I'd see you again, no matter what, but now I'm filled with confusion and uncertainty
Na na na. Na na na na na na na na na na. Na na na na na na na na
Musical interlude, no specific meaning
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind