Ray was born in Hopewell, Oregon, spending part of his childhood on a farm, eventually moving to Portland, Oregon. Ray was of Native American origin; his great-grandmother was a full-blooded Native American and his great-grandfather was Oregon pioneer George Kirby Gay of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England. He became deaf in his right ear at age 13 after an accident during a Boy Scout event. It was his participation in the "blanket toss," a sort of variation of the trampoline, that traumatized the youngster's inner ear. Ray later performed wearing a hearing aid. Surgery performed in New York in 1958 left him almost completely deaf in both ears, although hearing aids helped his condition.
Career
Ray first attracted attention while performing at the Flame Showbar in Detroit, Michigan, an R&B nightclub. Inspired by rhythm singers like Kay Starr, LaVern Baker and Ivory Joe Hunter, Ray developed a unique rhythm based style, described as alternating between pre-rock R&B and a more conventional classic pop approach.
His first record, the self-penned R&B number for OKeh Records, "Whiskey and Gin", was a minor hit in 1951. The following year he dominated the charts with the double-sided hit single of "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried". Selling over two million copies of the 45 single, Ray's delivery struck a chord with teenagers and he quickly became a teen idol.
Ray's performing style included theatrics later associated with rock 'n roll, including beating up his piano, writhing on the floor and crying. Ray quickly earned the nicknames, "Mr. Emotion", "The Nabob of Sob", and "The Prince of Wails", and several others.
More hits followed, including "Please Mr. Sun", "Such a Night", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home", "A Sinner Am I", and "Yes Tonight Josephine". His last hit was "Just Walkin' in the Rain", in 1956. He did, however, hit again in 1957 with "You Don't Owe Me a Thing", which reached #10 in the Billboard charts. He was popular in the United Kingdom, breaking the record at the London Palladium formerly set by Frankie Laine.[citation needed] In later years, he retained a loyal fan base overseas, particularly in Australia.
Later career influences
Ray had a close relationship with journalist and television game show panelist Dorothy Kilgallen who gave a boost to his sagging career during his engagement at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965.
In early 1969, Ray befriended Judy Garland, performing as her opening act during her last concerts in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. Ray was also the best man during Garland's wedding to nightclub manager Mickey Deans in London.[4]
Ray's American career revived in the early 1970s, with appearances on The Andy Williams Show in 1970 and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson three times during 1972 and 1973. His personal manager Bill Franklin resigned in 1976 and cut off contact with the singer a few years later. His American revival turned out to be shortlived. He performed in small American venues such as El Camino College in 1987. Australian, English and Scottish promoters booked him for their large venues as late as 1989, his last year of performing.
Some writers suggested that the reason American entertainment bookers and songwriters ignored him in the 1980s was because they simply did not know who he was, or what his sound was like. His exposure during the new era of cable television was limited to a few seconds in Dexys Midnight Runners' 1982 music video for "Come On Eileen", using archival footage of Ray from 1954. He was name checked in the lyrics to "Come On Eileen" (viz "Poor old Johnnie Ray sounded sad upon the radio / he moved a million hearts in mono").
His other video appearance was in Billy Idol's 1986 "Don't Need a Gun", in which Ray appeared on-camera.
I'm Confessin'
Johnnie Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me, do you love me too?
I'm confessin' that I need you,
Honest I do, need you every moment.
In your eyes I read such strange things,
But your lips deny they're true,
Will your answer really change things
Making me blue?
I'm afraid some day you'll leave me,
Saying "can't we still be friends"
If you go, you know you'll grieve me,
All in life on you depends.
Am I guessin' that you love me,
Dreaming dreams of you in vain,
I'm confessin' that I love you, over again.
The lyrics of Johnnie Ray's song, "I'm Confessin'," depict the singer confessing his love and dependence on someone, imploring them to reciprocate their feelings. The singer seems to be unsure of the other person's feelings despite having strong, conflicting feelings within himself. He reads something from the other person's eyes and longs to believe it is true, but their lips deny it. The singer is afraid of being hurt by the other person leaving him, though he emphasizes the importance of them to his life. He concludes by admitting that he may be dreaming of the other person's love for him and reiterates his declaration of love.
The song's theme of unrequited love is a relatable one, as many have experienced a one-sided affection at some point in their lives. The singer's vulnerability in confessing his love and fear of rejection add an emotional depth to the lyrics. Additionally, the contrast between what is read in someone's eyes versus what is spoken aloud with their lips is well-crafted and poignant in conveying the confusion and uncertainty the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm confessin' that I love you,
I'm admitting that I am deeply in love with you and am not afraid to express my feelings.
Tell me, do you love me too?
I am curious to know if you reciprocate my feelings towards you.
I'm confessin' that I need you,
I am revealing that I rely on your presence and that you are an essential part of my life.
Honest I do, need you every moment.
I truly need you in every moment of my life and I am honest about this fact.
In your eyes I read such strange things,
I can see unusual expressions in your eyes which may indicate your true feelings.
But your lips deny they're true,
You do not express your true emotions verbally even if your eyes show something different.
Will your answer really change things
I am uncertain whether your response to my confession will significantly alter our present situation.
Making me blue?
I am worried that your response will disappoint me or make me feel sad.
I'm afraid some day you'll leave me,
I have a fear that one day you may decide to end our relationship.
Saying "can't we still be friends"
You may try to break up with me but keep the option to remain friends with me.
If you go, you know you'll grieve me,
Your decision to leave me will cause me a great deal of pain and will make me feel sad.
All in life on you depends.
You play a crucial role in my life and all my happiness depends on you.
Am I guessin' that you love me,
I am wondering if my assumption that you love me is correct and if you actually do love me.
Dreaming dreams of you in vain,
I have unrealistic hopes and visions of being with you which may never happen.
I'm confessin' that I love you, over again.
I am reaffirming my love for you and telling you again how much you mean to me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Al J Neiburg, Doc Daugherty, Ellis Reynolds
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Randy Taylor
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