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.
Please Talk to My Heart
Ray Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And don't be afraid that you'll hurt me I'm hurting that's why I need you
Please please I'm so lonesome any love you can give me will do
And don't be afraid I'll start crying, I'm crying that's why I need you
[ fiddle ]
If you say once more that it's over don't worry because I'll be blue
You've hurt me before but can't anymore I'm hurting that's why I need you
Please please I'm so lonesome...
The song "Please Talk to My Heart" by Ray Price is a heartbreaking plea for companionship and comfort from a person who is experiencing intense loneliness and sadness. The singer is so desperate for human connection that he is willing to accept fake love, as long as someone talks to him and listens to his troubles. The repeated use of the phrase "please talk to my heart" shows how deeply the singer desires empathy and emotional support. The lyrics also convey the singer's vulnerability and fear of being rejected, as he begs the other person not to be afraid of hurting him, despite his own emotional pain.
The fiddle that accompanies the lyrics adds to the emotional intensity of the song, giving it a mournful, melancholic quality. This song is a classic example of traditional country music, and Ray Price's emotive vocal performance perfectly captures the feelings of loneliness and longing that the lyrics express. In many ways, this song serves as a reminder of the power of human connection and the ways in which we all need someone to talk to and confide in during difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Please talk to my heart because I'm lonesome pretend even if it's not true
My heart aches for your love and attention, even if it's just pretend. Please talk to me and make me feel less lonely.
And don't be afraid that you'll hurt me I'm hurting that's why I need you
I am already hurting, so don't be afraid to speak your mind or express your feelings. I need you to be honest with me and help ease my pain.
Please please I'm so lonesome any love you can give me will do
I am so desperate for love and companionship that any love you can offer me, no matter how small, will be enough to comfort me.
And don't be afraid I'll start crying, I'm crying that's why I need you
I am already in tears and feeling emotional, so there's no need to hold back or be afraid to show me your emotions. I need you to be there for me and offer me the comfort and support I need.
[ fiddle ]
This line refers to the instrumental break in the song and does not contain meaningful lyrics.
If you say once more that it's over don't worry because I'll be blue
Even if you break my heart and tell me it's over between us, I will still be sad but I will handle it. My heart is already hurting, so another rejection won't be too difficult to bear.
You've hurt me before but can't anymore I'm hurting that's why I need you
Although you have hurt me in the past, I am still drawn to you because I am currently hurting and need someone to comfort me. I am hoping that you will be the one to offer me the love and support I need.
Please please I'm so lonesome...
This line is a repetition of the previous chorus and emphasizes the singer's desperate need for love and companionship.
Lyrics © GLAD MUSIC CO.
Written by: J. FAUTHEREE, J. MATHIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind