While Cray was among artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and George Thorogood who got wider radio airplay and regular MTV video exposure during the late 1980s, he started playing guitar in his early teens. At Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia, his love of blues and soul music flourished as he started collecting records. Originally, Robert Cray wanted to become an architect, but at about the same time he was going to study design in architecture he formed a local band "Steakface", described as "the best band from Lakewood you never heard of". Cray on guitar and vocals contributed greatly to Steakface's set list of songs by Jimi Hendrix, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Fleetwood Mac, the Grease Band, Blodwyn Pig, Jethro Tull, Forever More, Spirit, and The Faces.
By the time he was twenty, Cray had seen his heroes Albert Collins, Freddie King and Muddy Waters in concert, and decided to form his own band. His band started playing college towns on the west coast. After several years of regional success, Cray was signed to Mercury Records in 1982. His third release, Strong Persuader, received a Grammy Award, while the crossover single "Smokin' Gun" gave him wider appeal and name recognition.
By then Cray was an opening act for such major stars as Eric Clapton (who remains a friend to this day), and sold out larger venues as a solo artist. Cray has generally played Fender guitars (Telecasters and Stratocasters) and there are two signature Robert Cray Stratocasters models available from Fender.
Cray continues to record and tour.
A Whole Lotta Pride
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a pain, I can't stop
It's seems to me there isn't much time
By the ticking of the clock
Feels like a deadly fever
Or is it just your sweet revenge?
I guess this makes us even
Here comes that heartache
But I know, I can make it
With a little faith
And a whole lotta pride
No kinds of pills will help me
And I won't take no shots
My only hope of living is
If we can start from the top
I can taste the bitter teardrops
I've made you cry before
Do you have to leave me, baby
Just to even up the score?
Here comes that heartache
But I know, I can make it
With a little faith
And a whole lotta pride
Only you
Could stop these tears
I'll take the blame and all the shame
For all those bad years
Now I'm all alone
Time's no longer on my side
All that I've got left is a little faith
And a whole lotta pride
My foolish heart
Just can't understand
The love that we've lost
And your change of plans
It took so long
To feel the pain
I'll go on, yes I will
'Cause that's the name of the game
Here comes that heartache
But I know, I can make it
With a little faith
And a whole lotta pride
Stop these, stop these, stop these tears
Won't you please?
Ohh
Stop it, baby
I can't make it
Ohh, no
I can't make it
No
Hey, yeah
The lyrics of "A Whole Lotta Pride" by Robert Cray depict the agony of heartbreak and the struggle to move on from a past relationship. The singer pleads for a way to end the pain and fears that time is running out by the ticking of the clock. He admits to causing tears in the past and wonders if he must be left alone to even up the score. Despite the hurt and heartache, the singer resolves to hold onto his pride and faith as he battles to overcome the pain and consequences of his actions.
The words in this song showcase the common themes of love and loss that many people experience. The singer's self-reflection and vulnerability demonstrate that he is remorseful and seeking a way to repair the damage caused to the relationship. The use of powerful imagery such as the ticking clock and deadly fever adds to the sense of urgency that the singer feels in his quest for redemption. The chorus urges the listener to hold onto their pride and faith as a way to stay strong and overcome the hardships of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody send me a doctor
I need someone to help me with the pain I am dealing with.
There's a pain, I can't stop
I am going through a painful experience that I can't seem to control.
It's seems to me there isn't much time
I feel like time is running out and there isn't much left to do.
By the ticking of the clock
I can sense the urgency of the situation from the sound of the clock ticking.
Feels like a deadly fever
The pain I feel is so intense that it feels like a life-threatening fever.
Or is it just your sweet revenge?
I wonder if this pain is a result of the revenge you seek from me.
I guess this makes us even
If this is your way of getting even with me, then I suppose we are even now.
You said, I'd pay in the end
You warned me that I would face the consequences of my actions in the end.
Here comes that heartache
I can feel the heartache coming again.
But I know, I can make it
I know I can overcome this challenge.
With a little faith
I am relying on my faith to help me through this tough time.
And a whole lotta pride
I have a lot of pride which will give me the strength to face this situation.
No kinds of pills will help me
No medication can relieve me of this pain.
And I won't take no shots
I refuse to take any shots since they won't help me either.
My only hope of living is
The only way I can survive this is if we start anew.
If we can start from the top
If we can go back to the beginning and make things right again.
I can taste the bitter teardrops
I can feel the pain of your tears caused by my actions.
I've made you cry before
I have caused you pain and made you cry in the past.
Do you have to leave me, baby
Are you really going to leave me to make things even?
Just to even up the score?
Is this your way of taking revenge and balancing the score?
Only you
Only you have the ability to help me through this pain.
Could stop these tears
Your love is capable of stopping my tears and healing my pain.
I'll take the blame and all the shame
I am willing to take responsibility for my actions and the shame that comes with it.
For all those bad years
For all the years I caused you pain and hurt you.
Now I'm all alone
I am left alone to face the consequences of my actions.
Time's no longer on my side
I can no longer afford to waste time as it is running out.
All that I've got left is a little faith
The only thing left to hold onto is my faith.
And a whole lotta pride
My pride will give me the strength to face whatever comes my way.
My foolish heart
My heart is foolish for causing you pain and deserving this outcome.
Just can't understand
I am struggling to understand why things turned out this way.
The love that we've lost
We have lost the love that once brought us together.
And your change of plans
I can't comprehend your decision to leave and change our plans.
It took so long
It took a long time for me to realize the pain I was causing.
To feel the pain
It took time for me to truly feel and understand your pain.
I'll go on, yes I will
Despite the pain and struggles, I will keep going forward.
'Cause that's the name of the game
This is the nature of life and what it means to persevere.
Stop these, stop these, stop these tears
I am pleading to you to stop my tears and make things right again.
Won't you please?
I am earnestly begging you to bring an end to my pain.
Ohh
An expression of the intense pain and emotion I am feeling.
Stop it, baby
I am begging you to stop causing me pain and hurting me.
I can't make it
I feel incapable of getting through this on my own.
Ohh, no
An expression of the feeling of despair and hopelessness.
I can't make it
I feel completely overwhelmed and helpless.
No
I feel like giving up, but I know deep down that I have to keep fighting.
Hey, yeah
The expression of a mix of emotions, including pain, anger, and sadness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROBERT CRAY, DENNIS WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind