Ray Peterson was born in Denton, Texas. Blessed with a 4-octave singing voice, he idolized the vocal sounds of fellow Texan, Roy Orbison. Peterson moved to Los Angeles, California where he was signed by RCA Victor Records in 1957. He recorded several songs that were minor hits until "The Wonder of You" made it into the Billboard Top Thirty list. The song would later be recorded by Elvis Presley with whom he became close friends.
In 1960 Ray Peterson scored a Top 10 hit with "Tell Laura I Love Her," and followed that success with "Corrina, Corrina, and I Could Have Loved You So Well." By the mid-1960s he had become something of a phenomenon on the west coast of the United States, appearing live in numerous rock concerts with Paul McCartney lookalike, Keith Allison.
His performances at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, produced by Fred Vail, beginning in 1963 helped fuel a revival of "The Wonder of You" as well as launch his new relationship with MGM Records, an alliance that produced two albums, "The Very Best of Ray Peterson" featuring most of the Dunes singles, and "The Other Side of Ray Peterson", which included many of his nightclub songs. He later moved to Nashville, Tennessee and by the 1970s when the hit records stopped coming, Peterson became a Baptist Church minister and occasionally played the oldies music circuit.
Ray Peterson died of cancer in 2005 in Smyrna, Tennessee and was interred in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens cemetery in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Missing you
Ray Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't help but wish that you
Were in my arms tonight
Making love to me
Kissin you kissin you
That's all I want to do
It never seems just right
Saying you love me too
Missin you
Can't help but wish that you
Were in my arms tonight
Making love to me
I always spend my time
Just writing lines to you
Can't wait for you to write
Sayin you love me too
Missin you
Can't help but wish that you
Were in my arms tonight
Making love to me
Ray Peterson's song "Missing You" is a soulful ballad that speaks about the emotional longing felt by someone when they are away from their significant other. The lyrics convey the desire to be with their loved one, to hold them in their arms and to share moments of intimacy. The opening lines "Missin you, can't help but wish that you were in my arms tonight, making love to me" express this desire quite clearly. The yearning for physical proximity that comes with true love is a major theme of the song. The lyric "Kissin you kissin you, that's all I want to do," further emphasizes the craving for the touch and the warmth of the person we love.
The song also reveals the vulnerabilities that come with love. Being apart from someone we love can make us feel incomplete and yearn for the affirmation of their love. The lyric "Now that we are apart it's up to you to write, saying you love me too," highlights this vulnerability. The singer of the song is waiting for a confirmation of love from the other person, which would end his/her feelings of loneliness and uncertainty. The lyric "I always spend my time just writing lines to you, can't wait for you to write, saying you love me too" shows the effort the singer puts into their love and the importance it has in their lives.
The song continues to convey the longing and desires of the singer in a beautiful and heartfelt manner throughout. The message the song delivers is one of heartache brought on by the distance between two people who love each other, the craving for physical intimacy, and the vulnerability that comes with loving someone.
Line by Line Meaning
Missin you
Feeling a strong desire for your presence
Can't help but wish that you
Unable to control the desire to have you around me
Were in my arms tonight
Craving to hold and embrace you until the night ends
Making love to me
Longing to connect with you physically, emotionally, and mentally
Kissin you kissin you
Thinking of no one and nothing but kissing you repeatedly
That's all I want to do
All I desire is to show you the depth of my love with kisses
It never seems just right
Feeling incomplete and unsatisfied without you beside me
Now that we are apart it for you to write
Waiting and expecting you to initiate communication, as I have expressed my feelings already
Saying you love me too
Hoping for your love in return to feel complete and content
I always spend my time
Devoting most of my time thinking of you
Just writing lines to you
Expressing my love through words in letters or text messages
Can't wait for you to write
Anticipating your response and reply eagerly
Missin you
Strongly missing and yearning for your company
Can't help but wish that you
Uncontrollably aching to have you near me
Were in my arms tonight
Craving to hold and cuddle with you, sheltered in each other's arms
Making love to me
Passionately and tenderly making love, as a physical manifestation of our love
Contributed by Emma H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philip Angelo
I remember him when I was young and loved his songs. As I listen now I'm blown away by the pure beauty of his voice.
Robert Medina
Ray Peterson's voice is just perfect for this song. His rendition made me feel once again the agony of being alone.
Antoinette Pontecorvo
Memorable, beautiful and well done by Ray Peterson. 💜🎶
Mal
I found this song while going through old letters that my grandfather and grandmother sent to each other back in 1961. They would talk about this song and about how much they related to it because at the time she lived in Alabama and he lived in Florida. It was so sweet, it was giving me cavities.
Baskerville22
Ray Peterson, Johnny Tillotson & Jimmy Rogers all great singers of the same era
spider moth
Agree
Johnny Mac
1956-63 was my favourite period for great singers and songs. Ray was one of them.
Edward Nichols
Absolutley!!!!!👍👍👍👍
edwards
nothing can beat true music at its best thanks for sharing this Ray Peterson classic
Doe Harris
Love this song and the memories it brings. 😊😊