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.
It's Only Love
Ray Price Lyrics
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Well I just haven't learned to forget like you do but it's only love it'll go away
And if I call at night while you're still sleeping just to talk to you about yesterday
Then before I hang up I start to weeping well it's only love it'll go away
It's only love it'll go away at least that's what you say
Yours did and mine will I hope some day cause it's only love it'll go away
It's only love it'll go away
In the song "It's Only Love" by Ray Price, the singer is addressing his confusion and feelings towards love, and the stark differences between his emotions and his partner's ability to move on. The lyrics reveal that the singer is struggling to forget things his partner has said, and even calls them in the middle of the night to talk about the past. The partner, on the other hand, seems to have moved on from their shared past and is more practical in their approach towards love. But the singer remains hopeful that their love will also dissipate eventually, as the partner's love did.
The song conveys a sense of resignation and acceptance towards love, as if the singer is trying to acknowledge the impermanent nature of love and relationships. It highlights a common experience in romantic relationships, where one partner may struggle more to overcome past memories and move on, even as the other partner has fully let go. The refrain "it's only love, it'll go away" is repeated several times, driving home the idea that the passing of time will help heal the singer's broken heart.
Overall, the song is a poignant reminder that love, while often beautiful and transformative, can also be fleeting and temporary. By acknowledging this truth, the singer is able to come to terms with his own heartbreak and hold onto the hope that, one day, he too will move on from his past and find a new love.
Line by Line Meaning
If I don't act myself when I'm around you
Sometimes I act differently around you, as if I'm not myself.
And I bring up the things you used to say
I bring up the things you said in the past, as it still bothers me.
Well, I just haven't learned to forget like you do
I haven't learned to forget things as easily as you; your memory is better than mine.
But it's only love, it'll go away
Despite my anxiety and unease, it's only love and will eventually fade.
And if I call at night while you're still sleeping
Sometimes I call you while you sleep, my mind buzzing with thoughts.
Just to talk to you about yesterday
I just want to talk to you about the past, as it's on my mind.
Then before I hang up, I start to weeping
Before we hang up, I often cry because of my strong emotions.
Well it's only love, it'll go away
Despite my raw emotions and tears, it's only love and will eventually fade.
It's only love, it'll go away at least that's what you say
You have told me that it's only love and will eventually fade, although I may not believe it entirely.
Yours did and mine will, I hope some day
Your love faded, and I hope that mine will fade eventually as well.
'Cause it's only love it'll go away
Although it's powerful now, it's only love and will eventually subside.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mark James, Steve Tyrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind