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.
I Wonder
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder,
Is this where love is, heartache starts,
I wonder,
I wonder if you ever think about me,
And how good our old loving used to be,
Sometimes,
When you left with one last curious look,
I wonder,
I tried to call you,
You changed the number on me,
I really wonder
You tell me things to get me where you want me to be,
How come I feel your getting the best of me,
Sometimes,
I wonder
I hear a car coming round the corner,
I hear footsteps on my front porch,
I see a shadow from the light above,
I hear a voice,
Oh it's not yours
Why does this happen,
What's going on,
I wonder,
Could this be a dream,
Or has Bob gone crazy,
I wonder,
How come I feel your taking advantage of me,
Why can't I get you out of me,
Sometimes,
Sometimes I wonder
(guitar solo)
They say that time will heal my broken heart,
I wonder,
Could it be that I'm blind,
All alone in the dark,
I wonder
I can't help feeling this way,
If I could leave, I'd surely leave today,
Sometimes,
I wonder
It seems to me you still wanna be around
But when I see you, all hell starts breaking down,
Sometimes,
I wonder
mm hmm
I really wonder.
The song "I Wonder" by Robert Cray is a contemplation of lost love and heartbreak. The lyrics revolve around the singer's questions about where he stands in his former lover's heart, as well as his own unresolved feelings. The singer wonders if his old lover ever thinks of him and the love they used to share. He also reflects on the pain he feels and how he can't seem to shake off the hold that this person still has on him. He ponders on the fact that he feels like he's being taken advantage of by the person he still loves.
The verses describe the singer's internal monologue, and with a soulful guitar solo, he muses over the possibility of his ex-lover still being around. He seems to be waiting for a chance encounter, yet remains fearful of the emotional consequences that may arise. The song concludes with the singer acknowledging his inability to move on and his persistent wondering about the unresolved matters between him and his former love.
The song has a haunting melody and a melancholy feel that matches the sadness and confusion that the lyrics express. It is a relatable song that captures the essence of heartbreak and the uncertain feelings that often follow.
Line by Line Meaning
Am I long way from your heart,
I wonder,
I am not sure if I am far from your heart, which makes me wonder.
Is this where love is, heartache starts,
I wonder,
I am questioning if this is where love and heartache start, which makes me wonder.
I wonder if you ever think about me,
And how good our old loving used to be,
Sometimes,
Sometimes I wonder
I am curious if you ever think about me and how amazing our past love was. This makes me wonder sometimes.
When you left with one last curious look,
I wonder,
I tried to call you,
You changed the number on me,
I really wonder
When you left with a mysterious look, I wondered. I tried to call you, but you changed your number on me abruptly. This truly made me wonder.
You tell me things to get me where you want me to be,
How come I feel your getting the best of me,
Sometimes,
I wonder
You say things to manipulate me to be where you want me to be. But I wonder why I feel like you are getting the best out of me sometimes.
I hear a car coming round the corner,
I hear footsteps on my front porch,
I see a shadow from the light above,
I hear a voice,
Oh it's not yours
I hear someone coming around the corner and footsteps towards my front porch. I see a shadow from the light above, and I hear a voice, but it's not yours.
Why does this happen,
What's going on,
I wonder,
Could this be a dream,
Or has Bob gone crazy,
I wonder,
I am confused and wonder why this is happening, what's going on. I question myself if this is a dream, or if I have gone crazy because of it.
How come I feel your taking advantage of me,
Why can't I get you out of me,
Sometimes,
Sometimes I wonder
I feel like you are using me sometimes, but I wonder why I can't get you out of my head.
(guitar solo)
No meaning, instrumental sound.
They say that time will heal my broken heart,
I wonder,
Could it be that I'm blind,
All alone in the dark,
I wonder
People say that time will heal my broken heart, but I wonder if that's true. Maybe I am completely blinded by my loneliness in the dark, and that's why I wonder.
I can't help feeling this way,
If I could leave, I'd surely leave today,
Sometimes,
I wonder
I can't help but feel this way. If leaving would make it better, I would leave without a doubt. This makes me wonder sometimes.
It seems to me you still wanna be around
But when I see you, all hell starts breaking down,
Sometimes,
I wonder
It appears that you still want to be around me. But when I see you, everything falls apart. This makes me wonder sometimes.
mm hmm
I really wonder.
A sound expressing the artist's wondering state of mind about their situation.
Contributed by Xavier R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.