Born in New York City and raised in a family of musical royalty (the son of… Read Full Bio ↴Born in New York City and raised in a family of musical royalty (the son of singer Ella Fitzgerald and legendary jazz bass player Ray Brown), Ray Brown, Jr. learned early to appreciate the beauty and artistry of music. Although the primary emphasis was jazz, Ray's heart was in rock and roll and rhythm and blues. The family migrated to California where Ray studied piano at the age of 10. At 14, drums became an extended musical passion, so dad arranged for young Ray to study with Bill Douglas and later with Chuck Flores in Los Angeles. The singing drummer began playing private parties, graduating into the world of playing gigs. While attending Beverly Hills High School, Ray sang with the Mini-singers and Madrigals, who often toured the local area performing at music festivals and hospitals. After moving to Seattle, Ray continued to sing and play drums at nightclubs while studying with drum man Bill Coleman, Sr. He also began writing and composing while traveling from club to club. "On the road is where I honed my song writing skills," says Ray. "Writing music has always been a wonderful outlet." For 15 years, Ray worked in bands and as a single artist, performing throughout the Pacific Northwest and in Canada, Alaska, Japan, Korea and Guam and doing Department of Defense tours. "Because of my roots," says Ray, "people always assume I sing jazz or play jazz. That's what they ask when they meet me for the first time. People are surprised when I sing country or rock and roll. They do expect an experience from some rhythm and blues, and I don't mind giving into the 'real deal.' I'm fortunate I've been blessed with a versatile voice." Ray displayed his versatile voice and other talents in 2001 with his debut album for SRI Records, "Slow Down For Love," a collection of light jazz and R&B songs composed, written and arranged by Ray that reached the top 50 of the Gavin Report. His second album, "Committed From The Heart," released in 2003, has an adult contemporary pop sound layered with R&B. Again, all tunes were composed, written and arranged by Ray. The year 2003 marked Ray's debut on the Las Vegas Strip, as he performed five nights a week in the Le Bistro Theater at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. "In the studio, the spontaneity is there, but it's controlled," says Ray. "If it's not exactly right the first time you can go back and apply a second coat. But when it's live, it's all hanging out. It's an adventure and I love it."

I Thought About You
Ray Brown Jr Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I took a trip on a train
And I thought about you
I passed a shadowy lane
And I thought about you

Two or three cars parked under the stars
Winding stream
Moon shining down on some little town

And with each beam, the same old dream

And every stop that we made
Oh, I thought about you
And when I pulled down the shade
Then I really felt blue

I peeped through the crack
Looked at the track
Oh I'm going back to you
And what did I do, I thought about you

There were two or three cars parked under the stars
Winding stream
Moon shining down on some little town
And with each beam, the same old dream

And then I peeped through the crack
And I looked at the track

Oh I'm going back to you
And what did I do, I thought about you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ray Brown Jr's "I Thought About You" express the singer's nostalgia and longing for someone he knows. The song is constructed around the journey of a train, which serves as a metaphor for the singer's journey through life. As he passes various landmarks and small towns on the way, the singer reflects on the memories he has shared with the person he is thinking about. Perhaps the most striking thing about the lyrics is the way in which they capture the passing of time and the changes that inevitably come with it. The train is a powerful symbol of the journey of life, the passage of time, and the end of things.

As the train moves forward, the singer's thoughts become increasingly focused on the person he is longing for. He describes how he passes a shadowy lane and immediately thinks of them, as well as how he sees two or three cars parked under the stars and thinks of them again. The moon shining down on some little town is yet another reminder of the person he is thinking about. Each beam of light that shines down carries with it the same old dream and the same old yearning that the singer has always felt.

Line by Line Meaning

I took a trip on a train
I went on a journey via a train

And I thought about you
During the journey, I kept thinking about you

I passed a shadowy lane
During the journey, I crossed a street with limited or no light

And I thought about you
Even when I passed through the shadowy lane, I couldn't stop thinking about you

Two or three cars parked under the stars
I saw a few vehicles parked under the night sky

Winding stream
I saw a river with lots of curves and bends

Moon shining down on some little town
The moon was illuminating a small town nearby

And with each beam, the same old dream
Every time I looked at the moon, I kept having the same dream

And every stop that we made
At every station we stopped at during the train journey

Oh, I thought about you
I couldn't help but think about you at every stop

And when I pulled down the shade
When I closed the window shade during the train journey

Then I really felt blue
Closing the window shade made me feel sad and lonely

I peeped through the crack
I peeked out through the small opening in the window shade

Looked at the track
I glanced at the railway tracks outside the train window

Oh I'm going back to you
I am returning back to where you are

And what did I do, I thought about you
Even during my return journey, I couldn't stop thinking about you

Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Van Heusen, Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS