Building on the distorted electric guitar sound of early records, his 1958 instrumental hit "Rumble" by Link Wray and his Ray Men popularized "the power chord, the major modus operandi of modern rock guitarists", facilitating the emergence of "punk and heavy rock". Rolling Stone placed Wray at No. 45 of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. In 2013 he was a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Though he began in country music, his musical style went on to consist primarily of rock and roll, rockabilly, and instrumental rock.
Wray was born on May 2, 1929 in Dunn, North Carolina, to Fred Lincoln Wray, Sr. and his wife, Lillian M. Wray (née Coats). They were Shawnee Native Americans. Three songs he performed were named for American Indian tribes: "Shawnee", "Apache", and "Comanche". "Apache" was an instrumental composed by Jerry Lordan; it was originally a hit in the United Kingdom for The Shadows in 1960. Wray recorded a cover version 30 years later, when it was also associated with The Ventures and the Incredible Bongo Band.
Wray served in the US Army during the Korean War, and contracted tuberculosis, which laid him up in a hospital for a year. His stay concluded with the removal of a lung, which doctors predicted would mean he would never be able to sing again.
In 1958, Wray's first hit, "Rumble", was banned in New York and Boston for fear it would incite teenage gang violence. The record was first released on Cadence Records as Cat # 1347 (as Link Wray and the Ray-Men). Before, during, and after his stints with major labels Epic and Swan, Wray released 45's under many names. Tiring of the corporate music machine, he began recording albums using a three-track studio he converted from an outbuilding on his brother's property that his father used to raise chickens.
While living in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1970s, Wray was introduced to Quicksilver Messenger Service guitarist John Cipollina by bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson. He subsequently formed a band initially featuring special guest Cipollina along with the rhythm section from Cipollina's band Copperhead, bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson, and drummer David Weber. They opened for the band Lighthouse at The Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles from May 15–19, 1974. He later did numerous concerts and radio broadcasts in the Bay Area including KSAN (FM) and the Bill Graham venue Winterland Ballroom, with Les Lizama later replacing Hutchinson on bass. He toured and recorded two albums with retro-rockabilly artist Robert Gordon in the late 1970s. The 1980s to the present day saw a large number of reissues as well as new material. One member of his band in the 1980s, drummer Anton Fig, later became drummer in the CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman. In 1994, he played on four songs of the album Chatterton by French rocker Alain Bashung.
Wray's first three marriages—to Elizabeth Canady Wray, Katherine Tidwell Wray, and Sharon Wray—each ended in divorce. Although Wray had eight children with his first three wives, he had little contact with any of them after relocating to Denmark in the early 1980s.
Wray died of heart failure at his home in Copenhagen, at the age of 76. Survivors included his fourth wife, Olive Julie Povlsen Wray, and their son. He was buried in the crypt of the Christian's Church, Copenhagen.
Jack Rose cited Wray as an influence, as did Iggy Pop and Neil Young. Jimmy Page says that Link Wray had a "real rebel attitude" and credits him in It Might Get Loud as a major influence in his early career. According to Rolling Stone, Pete Townshend of The Who once said, "If it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I never would have picked up a guitar." "The only people I ever really looked up to were Link Wray and Iggy Pop," said Mark E. Smith of The Fall. "Guys like…Link Wray… are very special to me.
Ain't That Lovin' You Baby
Link Wray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll tell ya how I love you
Well, you could throw me in the ocean
I'd swim to the bank
And crawl right home to you, yeah
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
But you don't even know my name
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
But you don't even know my name
They may kill me, baby
Bury me like they do
You can bury my body way down deep
But my spirit will rise to you, yeah
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
But you don't even know my name
But you don't even know my name
But you don't even know my name
In Link Wray's song Ain't That Lovin You Baby, the singer is expressing his deep love and devotion to his partner using strong and powerful imagery. He tells his lover that no matter what challenges come their way, he will always find a way back to her. He compares his love to swimming in the ocean, even if she were to throw him in, he would swim to the bank and crawl right back home to her. The repetition of the phrase "Ain't that lovin' ya, baby" reinforces this sentiment and shows the strength of his affection.
However, there is a bittersweet element to the song. Although the singer loves his partner intensely, she doesn't even know his name, which suggests that their relationship may be unrequited or one-sided. This adds a layer of sadness to the song, as the singer is pouring out his heart and soul to someone who may not even be aware of his existence.
In the second verse, the singer becomes more fatalistic, stating that even if he were to die, his spirit would still be devoted to his lover. The repeated phrase "But you don't even know my name" highlights the irony and the tragedy of the situation - his love is so strong, yet it may never be reciprocated.
Overall, Ain't That Lovin You Baby is a powerful expression of love that is both passionate and poignant. The song's simple yet evocative lyrics, combined with Link Wray's distinctive guitar playing, make it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to me, baby
Hey, babe, listen up
I'll tell ya how I love you
Let me explain my love for you
Well, you could throw me in the ocean
Even if you threw me in the ocean
I'd swim to the bank
I'd swim all the way to the shore
And crawl right home to you, yeah
And make my way back to you by any means necessary
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby
That's how much I love you, babe
But you don't even know my name
Yet, you don't even know my name
They may kill me, baby
Even if someone were to kill me, babe
Bury me like they do
And bury my body like everyone else's
You can bury my body way down deep
Even if they buried me really deep
But my spirit will rise to you, yeah
My love for you will transcend death
But you don't even know my name
Yet, you don't even know my name
But you don't even know my name
Still, you don't even know my name
Writer(s): James Reed
Contributed by Chase A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@RCAvhstape
Listening to this for the millionth time, just now noticing those drums sound awesome. The bass, too. Something about this sound is so visceral, so powerful, like a demon from 60 years ago howling out of a dark tunnel.
@giulioluzzardi7632
What a treat that was. The Drums are spot on ,the guitar is nice and lazy sounding and that voice is obviously the inspiration behind a heap of 60's bands. It has attitude.
@sayerma
Such a great groove to this...I know, I know its just another 12 bar, but the little licks on the guitar combined with the heavy bass and lotsa drums is awesome. Love the cheeky f---ker's voice too.
@toniclife1971
I'm pretty sure a young Mick Jagger heard this.
@markeddeckmusic7202
No , he didn’t , he’s noting on this
@glennhecker4422
The entire album/CD whose cover art is illustrated here is killer; if you like his sound and style, I recommend buying this one!
@elvinposey5251
I first heard Rumble as a kid and then saw him with Robert Gordon. awesome guitarplayer and good singer. this is great. didn't know he did stuff like this.
@RCAvhstape
I play in a modern-ish rock band. On the way to our gigs we put this in the CD player in the truck and crank it to max volume.
@amygdala51
He had one lung (TB).. I'm so happy they recorded this song. Wish he sang on more tracks.
@spib65
Great version,..the best