Price, born in Perryville, Texas, served with the U.S. Marines from 1944–1946, and began singing for KRBC in Abilene, Texas during 1948. He joined the Big D Jamboree in Dallas in 1949. He relocated to Nashville in the early 1950s, rooming for a brief time with Hank Williams. When Williams died, Price managed his band, the Drifting Cowboys, and had minor success. He was the first artist to have a success with the song "Release Me" (1954), a top five popular music hit for Engelbert Humperdinck in 1967.
In 1953, Price formed his band, the Cherokee Cowboys. Among its members during the late 1950s and early 1960s were; Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Darrell McCall, Van Howard, Johnny Paycheck and Johnny Bush, Buddy Emmons, Pete Wade, Jan Kurtis, Shorty Lavender and Buddy Spicher. Miller wrote one of Ray Price's classics in 1958, "Invitation to the Blues", and sang harmony on the recording. Additionally, Nelson composed the Ray Price song "Night Life".
Price became one of the stalwarts of 1950s honky tonk music, with hit songs such as "Talk To Your Heart" (1952) and "Release Me". He later developed the famous "Ray Price Shuffle," a 4/4 arrangement of honky tonk music with a walking bassline, which can be heard on "Crazy Arms" (1956) and many of his other recordings from the late 1950s.
During the 1960s, Ray experimented increasingly with the so-called Nashville sound, singing slow ballads and utilizing lush arrangements of strings and backing singers. Examples include his 1967 rendition of "Danny Boy", and "For the Good Times" in 1970 which was Price's first country music chart No. 1 hit since "The Same Old Me" in 1959. Written by Kris Kristofferson, the song also scored No. 11 on the popular music chart and featured a mellower Price backed by sophisticated musical sounds, quite in contrast to the honky tonk sounds Price had pioneered two decades before. Price had three more No. 1 country music successes during the 1970s: "I Won't Mention It Again", "She's Got To Be A Saint", and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me." His final top ten hit was "Diamonds In The Stars" in early 1982. Price continued to have songs on the country music chart through 1989. Later, he sang gospel music and recorded such songs as "Amazing Grace", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus", "Farther Along" and "Rock of Ages."
In 2006, Price was living near Mount Pleasant, Texas and still performing in concerts throughout the country. In 2009, Price made two performances for the Fox News show Huckabee. The first was with the Cherokee Cowboys and host Mike Huckabee, and he performed "Crazy Arms" and "Heartaches By The Number". Weeks later he performed with the Cherokee Cowboys and Willie Nelson (again with Huckabee playing bass guitar). This time they performed duets of "Faded Love" and "Crazy."
Price worked on his latest album, Last of the Breed, with fellow country music singers Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. This album was released on March 20, 2007 by the company Lost Highway Records. The two-disc set features 20 country classics as well as a pair of new compositions. The trio toured the U.S. from March 9 until March 25 starting in Arizona and finishing in Illinois. This was Price's third album with Nelson and first album with Haggard. After the tour, Haggard remarked, "I told Willie when it was over, 'That old man gave us a goddamn singing lesson.' He really did. He just sang so good. He sat there with the mic against his chest. And me and Willie are all over the microphone trying to find it, and he found it."
On November 6, 2012, Ray Price confirmed that he was fighting pancreatic cancer. Price told the San Antonio Express-News that he had been receiving chemotherapy for the past six months. An alternative to the chemo would have been surgery that involved removing the pancreas along with portions of the stomach and liver, which would have meant a long recovery and stay in a nursing home. Said Price, "That's not very much an option for me. God knows I want to live as long as I can but I don't want to live like that." The 87-year-old Country Music Hall of Famer also told the newspaper, "The doctor said that every man will get cancer if he lives to be old enough. I don't know why I got it – I ain't old!" Price retained a positive outlook and hoped to play as many as a hundred concert dates in 2013.
As of early February 2013, the cancer appeared to be in remission. Sometime in May 2013, Price was hospitalized with severe dehydration. On December 2, 2013, Price entered a Tyler, Texas, hospital in the final stages of pancreatic cancer, according to his son, then left on December 12 for home hospice care. Price died at his home in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, on December 16, 2013.
Four Walls
Ray Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Four walls too near me closing in on me)
Out where the bright lights are glowing
You're drawn like a moth to a flame
You laugh while the wine's overflowing
While I sit and whisper your name
Four walls to hear me four walls to see
Four walls too near me closing in on me
My walls have nothing to say
I'm made for love not for haiting
So here where you left me I'll stay
One night with you is like heaven
And so while I'm walking this floor
I listen for steps in the hallway
And wait for your knock on the door
Four walls to hear me four walls to see
Four walls too near me closing in on me
Closing in on me
Ray Price's song Four Walls is a classic example of country music, originating in the early 1950s. The lyrics of the song give the impression of a man trapped in a confined space, surrounded by four walls, with nothing but his own thoughts for company. The lyrics begin by emphasizing the confines of the space, with the man being limited in his ability to move around or interact with the outside world. The song contrasts the dullness of being trapped within four walls with the excitement of the bright lights and the laughter of the people outside. The man in the song longs to be out there with them, but instead, he is stuck inside.
As the song progresses, the man begins to question why he is waiting inside the walls, seemingly waiting for someone who has left him behind. He recognizes that he is made for love and not for hating, but the confinement of the four walls has left him feeling empty and alone. Throughout the song, the man longs for someone to come to his rescue, for someone to knock on the door and rescue him from the loneliness that permeates his existence.
Overall, Four Walls is a poignant song about isolation and loneliness, and how it feels to be trapped in your own thoughts within a confined space.
Line by Line Meaning
Four walls to hear me four walls to see
All alone in this room with just the walls as my company
Four walls too near me closing in on me
Seemingly suffocating as the walls seem to move closer
Out where the bright lights are glowing
Outside where the world is vibrant and lively
You're drawn like a moth to a flame
You're irresistibly drawn to that lively life
You laugh while the wine's overflowing
You're having fun with the crowd and drinking in the moment
While I sit and whisper your name
While I'm in my own little world thinking of you, and saying your name softly
Sometimes I ask why I'm waiting
Sometimes, I question why I am stuck here waiting and hoping for your return
My walls have nothing to say
These walls are deaf to my questions, unable to offer any response
I'm made for love not for haiting
I know that I was created to love you, not to bear any grudges
So here where you left me I'll stay
I will stay here, where you left me, hoping for the day you'll come back
One night with you is like heaven
Just one night spent with you is like a dream come true, a taste of heaven on earth
And so while I'm walking this floor
As I walk back and forth across the room
I listen for steps in the hallway
All the while, listening intently for any sound of your approaching footsteps
And wait for your knock on the door
Anxiously waiting for the knock that would be the sound of your arrival
Closing in on me
Making me feel trapped and enclosed
Lyrics © SEPTEMBER MUSIC CORP C/O MEMORY LANE MUSIC
Written by: CAMPBELL MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Raymond Faron
My all time favorite singer, brings back an era of warmth.
imagrandpa
Ray Price was one of the great singers of all time.
Here, singing one of the saddest songs I think I’ve ever heard.
Jim Reeves sang this song great but Ray sang it with a bit
more soul and made it better IMO.
Antonia Vassila
So nostalgic,majestic voice, majestic tune majestic vocals. Thank you Marianne, you always do so fine choices.:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!!!!!!!!!!!
Marianne Menon
I'm Blushing :) :) :) Thank you Antonia...you're so sweet....Hugs my dear friend! So glad you liked it!!
~Marianne...
jd450lh
Love the soprano backing vocalist....what a beautiful voice she has. Thanks for posting!
Have a blessed weekend,
Jeff :)
jeriw
Beautiful, this great man will be missed!!
TCovatti
I've never been a big Ray Price fan, but due to his recent health problems i started paying attention and listening to him, and i can say that i fell in love with his music. What a voice! Get well son Ray, and thanks for sharing Marianne. :-)
Jack Adams
Such a beautiful song Marianne ..thank you for the share.
Marianne Menon
Thank you too Mr Jack..I'll come visit you soon...:) Have been so busy the past couple of weeks...Glad you enjoyed Mr Price version of Four Walls..Sometimes I feel they're closing in on me too :) Have a nice weekend my friend!!!
~Marianne...
James Rice
such a beautiful song and sing MM. Ray can really sing em.