McCray's first influence on guitar was none other than his sister, Clara, who toured regionally around Arkansas with her own combo, the Rockets. Clara never got to record her Freddie King-styled blues for posterity -- but her little brother has at least partially made up for that omission. Larry followed Clara up to Saginaw, MI, in 1972. She turned him on to the joys of the three Kings (B.B., Freddie, and Albert), Albert Collins, and Magic Sam, and Larry added superheated rock licks (à la Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers) to his arsenal as he began playing the local circuit with his brothers Carl on bass and Steve on drums.
Working on General Motors' assembly line occupied a great deal of Larry McCray's time after he finished high school. But he eventually found enough free hours to put together Ambition, his 1991 debut album for Pointblank, in a Detroit friend's basement studio. The stunning set was a convincing hybrid of blues, rock, and soul, McCray combining the interrelated idioms in sizzling fashion. Suddenly, the stocky young guitarist was touring with label-mate Albert Collins. His 1993 Pointblank encore, Delta Hurricane, was a slicker affair produced by veteran British blues maven Mike Vernon that McCray much prefers to his homemade debut. He followed Delta Hurricane with Climbin' Up in 1995 and Meet Me At the Lake in 1996. Born to Play the Blues appeared in 1998. Believe It was followed in early 2001. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide
Source; http://www.answers.com/topic/larry-mccray
All Along The Watchtower
Larry McCray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said a joker to the thief
There's too much confusion
I can't get no relief
Businessmen, they drink my wine
Ploughmen dig my earth
No reason to [Incomprehensible]
Nobody up it is worth
The thief he kindly spoke
There's many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke
But you and I we've been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us stop talking falsely now
The hour's getting late
All along the watchtower
Princess kept the view
While all the women came and went
Barefoot servants too
Outside in the cold distance
A wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching
And the wind began to howl, yeah
The song "All Along the Watchtower" by Larry McCray is a cover version of Bob Dylan's classic hit. The opening lines suggest a sense of entrapment and a desire for freedom. The line "there must be some kind of way out of here" indicates to the listener that the singer is looking for a way to escape a difficult situation. The joker's words to the thief suggest that they are both trapped and are looking for a solution. The lines "there's too much confusion, I can't get no relief" reflect the feeling of being stuck and overwhelmed by one's circumstances.
The next set of lines addresses the different classes of people, from businessmen drinking the singer's wine to ploughmen digging his earth. The sentiment of "nobodys up it is worth" suggests that the singer feels undervalued and underappreciated by those around him. Despite this, the thief speaks kindly, acknowledging that there are those who feel that life is but a joke. The singer has been through this before, and he is confident that this is not his fate. The final line of the verse mentions the hour growing late, implying that the time for action is now.
The chorus of the song is the title: "All Along the Watchtower." The second verse describes a princess keeping watch while women and barefoot servants come and go. In the cold distance, a wildcat growls and two riders approach. The wind begins to howl. These images paint a vivid picture of a desolate landscape and a sense of impending danger. The message seems to be that the forces of the universe are in motion, and the singer is both an observer and participant.
Line by Line Meaning
There must be some kinda way out of here
The singer is expressing a desperate need to escape or find a solution to the current situation.
Said a joker to the thief
Two characters are having a conversation, one being referred to as a joker and the other as a thief.
There's too much confusion
The current situation is unclear and difficult to understand.
I can't get no relief
The artist is unable to find comfort or relief from the current situation.
Businessmen, they drink my wine
The artist is being taken advantage of by businessmen who are consuming their resources.
Ploughmen dig my earth
Other individuals are taking advantage of the singer's land or resources.
No reason to [Incomprehensible]
The singer is unable to find a valid reason for the current situation or their experiences.
Nobody up it is worth
There is no one of value or worth present in the situation or scenario.
No reason to get excited
The artist is urging others to remain calm and not get overly emotional or worked up about the current situation.
The thief he kindly spoke
The thief in the conversation spoke in a friendly, kind manner.
There's many here among us
There are many individuals present in the situation.
Who feel that life is but a joke
Some individuals in the situation believe that life and their experiences are meaningless and just a joke.
But you and I we've been through that
The singer and someone else have gone through similar experiences before.
And this is not our fate
The current situation or scenario is not predetermined and subject to change.
So let us stop talking falsely now
The singer is urging others to stop lying or being dishonest with themselves or each other.
The hour's getting late
Time is running out and urgent action is needed.
All along the watchtower
The location of the scene or situation is occurring near a watchtower.
Princess kept the view
A princess is observing the scene from the watchtower.
While all the women came and went
Other women are present and moving around the situation.
Barefoot servants too
Servants without shoes or footwear are also present in the situation.
Outside in the cold distance
Something is occurring far away and in a cold, harsh environment.
A wildcat did growl
A wildcat or other animal has made a loud, threatening noise.
Two riders were approaching
Two riders or travelers are headed towards the singer and others in the situation.
And the wind began to howl, yeah
The wind picked up and started to make a loud, eerie sound.
Writer(s): Bob Dylan Copyright: Dwarf Music
Contributed by Zoe P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@excidedous
Mister McCray is here to stay - can't think of anything else off the top of my head that I'd rather be listening to!
@sarahkuhn566
Such an amazing version of this song!!!!!! I love Larry so much. He is a fantastic performer
@charleslassiter1116
Yo, this dude is takin' no prisoners with this jam!!! I can almost hear Jimi up above sayin', "daaaymmmmn... don't be so mean son!!!"
@jestergreen3101
Saw him once in Donosti, almost 15 years ago. Never heard of him before, never forget from that day on. That´s how strong!!
Like this version, so is Larry´s way.
@perkvistA
This recording has no home. It was just released on the net, in order to show Larry McCray to the world. When I heard it I bought all McCray records available at Amazon. But there was no findings of this song! But McCray is so great. I listen allmost daily on him as I have his records as test tunes in my electronic music workshop. =)
@slurve24
Wow, been a fan of Larry's since I first came across Delta Hurricane over 20 years ago. He is one of the best, so if you get a chance to see him live you won't be disappointed. This is the first time I have heard this, so thanks for posting. Peace!
@dawgnpony
Another powerful rendition of a great tune. Good posting Squadron Leader.
@Matheussen38
Great version of this song. He also does a mean version of Black Magic Woman
@buzzbarbhuiyan5945
WaaaaoW Smokin' version !
@jeanlucchapelon
The intro of Jimi and his chorus is UNIQUE but that one is also good!!