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."
Mood Indigo
Floyd Cramer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ain't never been blue,
Till you've had that mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
I always get that mood indigo,
Since my baby said goodbye.
I'm so lonely I could cry.
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me,
I'm just a poor fool that's bluer than blue can be.
When I get that mood indigo,
I could lay me down and die.
You ain't never been blue; no, no, no,
You ain't never been blue,
Till you've had that mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
The lyrics of Floyd Cramer's song "Mood Indigo" talk about a feeling of deep sadness and loneliness that comes with losing someone dear. The song talks about an experience that is relatable to many people, that feeling of emptiness and despair when one is left alone after a breakup or a loss. The singer of the song sings about how they always feel that "mood indigo" since their baby said goodbye. The feeling is so strong that they could lay down and die when they get that mood indigo.
Furthermore, the song expresses the idea that unless one has experienced that particular feeling of sadness and loneliness, they have never really been blue. The feeling goes deep down to one's shoes while they just sit there and sigh "Go 'long blues." The song talks about the experience of being abandoned and left alone with nobody who cares. It is a song that resonates with those who have experienced heartbreak and loss and can relate to those feeling those emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
You ain't never been blue; no, no, no,
You haven't felt true sadness until you've experienced the feeling of mood indigo.
You ain't never been blue,
Mood indigo is a unique form of sadness that can't be compared to anything else.
Till you've had that mood indigo.
You'll only completely understand what true sadness is when you've felt mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
The feeling of mood indigo is so overwhelming that it affects every part of my body, including my feet.
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
I'm so consumed by the feeling of mood indigo that all I can do is sit and sigh, wishing that it would go away.
I always get that mood indigo,
I experience mood indigo frequently and consistently.
Since my baby said goodbye.
The trigger for my mood indigo is my significant other leaving me.
And in the evenin' when the lights are low,
My mood indigo is particularly strong when it's dark and quiet at night.
I'm so lonely I could cry.
The intensity of my loneliness is so great that falling into tears is a possibility.
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me,
The reason for my mood indigo is that I feel like no one cares about me or my well-being.
I'm just a poor fool that's bluer than blue can be.
I feel like a total fool for experiencing such strong and overwhelming feelings of sadness.
When I get that mood indigo,
Whenever I experience mood indigo,
I could lay me down and die.
The feeling is so intense that I feel like giving up completely and dying would be a relief.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Barney Bigard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
brent rau
This is probably THE BEST instrumental version of this tune. The vibratoed piano and the string section combined to make this a totally realized take on a time-honored classic from the Duke. And, I will will admit, without reservaton, that, yes I am a Floyd Cramer fan. His piano stylings powered many a hit from Nashville's Music Row.
Jimmy Sweringen
curious about the recording myself. Sounding like a steel guitar and organ combined.
Ronald Luckie
I had this album until last year. TS Debby took it from me. All the music on it was fantastic. I bought it in my early teens in Panama City, FL. Still remember buying it. Wish I could find the other numbers from this album.
Terri Chastain
Hey Ronald I saw your post today...did you ever get the rest of this album? If not and you still want it I can burn you a copy. I have 6 or 7 of his original albums. I am only 35 but I've loved Floyd all my life. Other than Floyd I only listen to rock and pop! Just thought I'd offer!
promerops
The flip side of "On the Rebound". Reverb deluxe!!!! So much that it made the needle on my Ultra record player skip and jump all over the record. I still have that single and my somewhat better rig (certainly not the last word, though) copes with it a lot better; although that darned Ultra damaged the record permanently - including sticking at the beginning of the string section. But what playing and what atmosphere (that word again!).