Back Door Slam
Robert Cray Lyrics

I was born in the back seat
I was born while my mother was inside a moving vehicle during a harrowing storm.

Of a travellin' hurricane
The hurricane was so intense it continued traveling while I was being born.

I came up in the back streets
I grew up in the less desirable parts of the city.

The city with no name
The city was not known for any particular reason and did not have any defining characteristics.

I was raised on trouble
My upbringing was tumultuous filled with difficult situations.

Rock when I should roll
As I matured, I indulged in activities that I should have avoided.

I never could control it
I was never able to exert any influence over my tendencies.

And I can't be controlled
Even now, I refuse to bow to anyone's demands or expectations.

I am what I am
I am an uncompromising force, refusing to conform or alter myself for anyone else's benefit.

I am the back door slam
My presence is explosive, like a backdoor slamming shut with force.

When I walk down the streets
Just my mere presence affects my surroundings.

The streetlights go out
The light bulbs in the street lamps stop working one-by-one as I pass by them.

When I drive through your town
The impact of my presence is felt even while I am driving through a town.

The dogs start to howl
Animals can sense the energy around me; their agitation is palpable.

And I stand in the shadows
I thrive in darkness and like being unseen.

Sparks are in my hair
I emanate visible energy that manifests as sparks.

When I open up my mouth
Whenever I speak, I have a commanding presence that draws attention.

My voice fills the air
My speech has a powerful and immediate effect on people, as if it's a physical presence.

People say I'm charming
I have a magnetic personality that people find attractive and compelling.

People say I'm alarming
But I also have a darker, more unsettling edge that can make people uncomfortable.

People can feel the disturbance around me
Everyone around me knows that there's something different about me.

I don't care what they say they see
But I am impervious to other people's opinions and judgments.

I'm the dust in your broom
I am like an intangible force that disrupts ordinary life.

100 proof ever clear
I am potent and powerful, like ever-clear alcohol that is 100% alcohol.

I'm the crack in your ceiling
I am a hidden fissure in the foundation of everyday life.

Thump you think you hear
People might hear a strange noise and wonder if it's because of me.

I'm a 3 a.m. phone call
I am that unwanted and unexpected phone call in the dead of night that can change everything.

Tank of gasoline
I am something that can create or fuel an explosive situation.

I'm a siren stoppin'
I am like a siren that brings everything to a halt when it is heard.

At the end of your street
My arrival signals the end of the safety and stability that most people believe they have.

People say strange
People regularly use the word "strange" to describe me.

People say I'm dangerous
Others consider me a threat for the chaos that seems to follow everywhere I go.

People can feel that a deal was struck
People sense that I have made some sort of agreement with the universe to be the way that I am.

Save my soul
They try to offer help or influence to save me as an individual.

And make my own luck
But I am not interested in conventional definitions of success, nor in changing who I am.

I was born in the city
I was raised in urban environments that shaped my worldview.

A city with no shame
The city was immersed in hedonism and vice, with a total disregard for societal norms.

And when I play guitar
I use music as a way of expressing my unique perspective and point-of-view.

They all know my name
My reputation precedes my physical presence; everyone has heard of me.

I am what I am
I am the sum total of my experiences and nature and cannot be changed.

I am the back door slam
I will always be like the sudden and jarring thud of a door slamming.