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.
Enough for me
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, there's nothing new
Well, I've cried so much for you
Baby, that's nothing new
Now I wish, I had one dollar
For all the times, I've cried for you
Everybody else is happy but I'll just weep, weep, weep
And these tears, tears, tears
Why won't they let me be?
Now, I wish, just once
You'd cry for me
Oh, yes, yeah
Why should I remember? How can I forget?
I wake up every morning and my pillow is soaking wet
From these tears, tears, tears
Why won't they let me be?
Now, I wish, just once
You'd cry for me
Oh, yeah
Yes, yes, yes, yeah
Cry for me
The lyrics of Robert Cray's song Cry for Me Baby are those of a heartbroken person who has been crying for their lost love for a long time. The repetition of "I've cried so much for you, baby, there's nothing new" emphasizes the depth of the singer's pain as they feel stuck in their sadness with no end in sight. The line "now I wish I had one dollar for all the times I've cried for you" suggests that the singer has cried countless times, and they realize how much time and energy they have invested in their sorrow. The tears of the singer contrast with others' happiness, highlighting a strong sense of isolation and longing.
The chorus "just once, you'd cry for me" reveals the source of the singer's pain – they have not received any empathy or emotional support from their former partner. The repeated use of "tears, tears, tears" underscores the idea that despite the time that has passed, the singer cannot escape the pain of their loss. The lyrics capture the singer's feelings of abandonment, as they feel like everyone else is moving on while they are still mired in grief.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I've cried so much for you
I have shed numerous tears for you.
Baby, there's nothing new
This is not a new phenomenon, I have been crying for you for a long time.
Well, I've cried so much for you
Again, I have shed numerous tears for you.
Baby, that's nothing new
Crying for you has become a regular thing for me.
Now I wish, I had one dollar
If only I could get paid for every time I cried for you.
For all the times, I've cried for you
I have cried for you so often that if I were paid a dollar for each time, I'd be wealthy.
Almost every night, I cry myself to sleep
My tears are a constant companion right before I doze off.
Everybody else is happy but I'll just weep, weep, weep
While others around me are content and joyful, my tears continue to flow.
And these tears, tears, tears
My incessant weeping knows no end.
Why won't they let me be?
I cannot seem to escape my tears.
Now, I wish, just once
If only, for a single occasion
You'd cry for me
You would shed tears for me, just as I have done for you countless times.
Why should I remember? How can I forget?
Why should I have to keep replaying these painful memories over and over again? But how can I forget something that has left such an impression on my heart?
I wake up every morning and my pillow is soaking wet
Every day I am reminded of the extent of my tears, as they dampen my pillow while I sleep.
From these tears, tears, tears
The source of my damp pillow and constant weeping.
Why won't they let me be?
My tears continue to haunt me, and I cannot escape their hold on my emotions.
Oh, yes, yeah
An expression of sadness and longing.
Yes, yes, yes, yeah
Further expression of the depth of the singer's sorrow and yearning.
Cry for me
Expressing a heartfelt plea for the person whom the singer has cried for so often to share in this mutual experience of sadness and tears.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MELVIN LONDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind