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."
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Floyd Cramer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's why I'll always be around
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart
I feel like this is the beginning
Though I've loved you for a million years
And if I thought our love was ending
You are the sunshine of my life
That's why I'll always stay around
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart
You must have known that I was lonely
Because you came to my rescue
And I know that this must be heaven
How could so much love be inside of you?
You are the sunshine of my life, yeah
That's why I'll always stay around
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart
Love has joined us
Love has joined us
Let's think sweet love
Floyd Cramer's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a love song that expresses an intense feeling of admiration for the person the singer is addressing. The lyrics suggest that the person is the source of the singer's joy, happiness, and inspiration. The opening line, "You are the sunshine of my life," is a metaphor that compares the person's effect on the singer's life to that of sunshine, i.e., illuminating, warm, and comforting.
The second line, "That's why I'll always be around," suggests that the singer is committed to the person and will always be present for them. The third line, "You are the apple of my eye," is another metaphor that means the person is cherished and valued more than anything else. The fourth line, "Forever you'll stay in my heart," reinforces the previous line and further emphasizes the person's importance to the singer.
The next two lines, "I feel like this is the beginning/Though I've loved you for a million years," convey a sense of timelessness in the singer's love for the person. The singer feels like their love is always new and fresh, even though it has been going on for a long time. The following lines, "And if I thought our love was ending/I'd find myself drowning in my own tears," suggest that the singer's love for the person is so intense that the mere thought of losing them would be devastating.
The final verse, "You must have known that I was lonely/Because you came to my rescue/And I know that this must be heaven/How could so much love be inside of you," suggests that the person has been a source of comfort and support to the singer when they needed it the most. The final lines, "Love has joined us/Let's think sweet love," are a call to celebrate their love and cherish the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
You are the sunshine of my life
You bring light and happiness into my life, and I appreciate you for that.
That's why I'll always be around
I won't ever leave your side because I need your presence in my life.
You are the apple of my eye
Out of everyone, you are the one who means the most to me, and I cherish you above all others.
Forever you'll stay in my heart
I will always hold you close to me, and you will occupy a special place in my heart for eternity.
I feel like this is the beginning
Even though we have loved each other for a long time, it feels like our love is just starting, and there is so much more to come.
Though I've loved you for a million years
My love for you has existed for an incredibly long time, even if it hasn't always been apparent.
And if I thought our love was ending
If I ever believed that the love between us was fading away, I would be devastated.
I'd find myself drowning in my own tears
I would be so overcome with sadness that I would cry uncontrollably.
You must have known that I was lonely
You sensed that I was alone and in need of someone to be there for me.
Because you came to my rescue
You were there for me when I needed you most, and I am forever grateful for that.
And I know that this must be heaven
Because of the way I feel when I am with you, it seems like I am in a blissful paradise that can only be described as heaven.
How could so much love be inside of you?
I cannot comprehend the immense amount of love that you possess, and I am constantly in awe of it.
Love has joined us
Our love has become the bond that connects us, and it has made us stronger as a result.
Let's think sweet love
Let's focus on the positive feelings and emotions that our love brings, and continue to cherish each other.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVIE WONDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind