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.
Run Boy
Ray Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So you and your true love have parted
And you've left her all alone
Dont hesitate, until it's too late
Just say that the fault was your own.
Chorus:
Back to the one who loves only you
Tell her your sorry you had to part
And don't break her heart in two.
Just tell her you can't live without her
And don't let this be the end
Don't let your pride, cast your love aside
Go back and start over again.
Chorus:
Run boy, as fast as you can
Back to the one who loves only you
Tell her you'll never roam again
And dont break her heart in two.
Go back and ask her to forgive you
For doubting a love so true
Dont be ashamed to say you are to blame
Her arms are still yearning for you.
Chorus:
Run boy, fast as you can
Back to the one who loves only you
Tell her your sorry you had to part
And don't break her heart in two...
The song "Run Boy" by Ray Price is about a man who has parted ways with his true love, but realizes his mistake and wants to go back to her. The lyrics advise him not to hesitate, but to make amends before it's too late. The chorus repeats the phrase "run boy, fast as you can" to emphasize the urgency of the situation. The song suggests that the man should swallow his pride and admit that the fault was his own, instead of letting his love for his partner go to waste.
The lyrics are simple yet emotionally charged, and Ray Price's smooth, warm vocals convey the message perfectly. The song speaks to the universal feeling of regret and the desire to make things right with someone we love. It encourages communication and forgiveness, which are essential for a healthy relationship. The song also acknowledges that it takes courage to admit one's mistakes and ask for forgiveness, and that it's worth it to do so for the sake of love.
Line by Line Meaning
So you and your true love have parted
You have separated from your beloved partner
And you've left her all alone
You have abandoned your partner and left them alone
Dont hesitate, until it's too late
Don't wait too long to correct your mistake
Just say that the fault was your own.
Admit that the fault was yours and yours alone
Chorus: Run boy, fast as you can Back to the one who loves only you Tell her your sorry you had to part And don't break her heart in two.
The chorus emphasizes the need for you to run back to your partner as quickly as possible and apologize for your mistake
Just tell her you can't live without her
Express your feeling that life without your partner is unbearable
And don't let this be the end
Don't let the separation be the end of your relationship
Don't let your pride, cast your love aside
Don't let your ego ruin your love
Go back and start over again.
Start your relationship from scratch and try to rebuild it
Chorus: Run boy, as fast as you can Back to the one who loves only you Tell her you'll never roam again And dont break her heart in two.
The chorus still emphasizes the need for you to run back to your partner quickly and reassure her that you won't leave her again
Go back and ask her to forgive you
Apologize to her for your mistake and ask for her forgiveness
For doubting a love so true
Admit that you made a mistake by doubting the true love that you shared
Dont be ashamed to say you are to blame
Don't feel ashamed to take responsibility for your mistake
Her arms are still yearning for you.
Her love and affection still wait for you and she wants to reconcile with you as soon as possible
Chorus: Run boy, fast as you can Back to the one who loves only you Tell her your sorry you had to part And don't break her heart in two...
The chorus once again emphasizes the urgency to run back to your partner and seek reconciliation without breaking her heart again
Writer(s): HY HEATH
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Randy Sherman
Good tune from Ray .. thanks for sharing
Bobbi High
My husband should listen to this song 💓