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.
Just A Loser
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whose will is none too strong
But I don't want to lose her
Even if my choice is wrong
I've been used to all the heartache
The jealousy and pain
So I'm well aware of what it takes
I played a fool for her smile, I found a groove in her style
I hung on every word that she said
But she was living up inside my head
And I better think this whole thing through for awhile
I'm not one to gamble
But in love my rules slide
When my heart starts to ramble
I just hang on for the ride
I've sought advice from all of my friends
I've even read a million books
But all those good intentions and
When she gives me that come on look
I played a fool for her smile, I found a groove in her style
I hung on every word that she said
But she was living up inside my head
And I better think this whole thing through for awhile
I could go on in misery
But this feeling just won't die
She's healing on delivery
I have to give her one more try
It's really time to figure out
If this love we have is real
And let's find out what it's all about
And give the old cards one more deal
I played a fool for her smile, I found a groove in her style
I hung on every word that she said
But she was living up inside my head
And I better think this whole thing through for awhile
The song "Just A Loser" by Robert Cray explores a man's inner conflict as he struggles to keep hold of his relationship. He admits that he may not be the strongest person, but he does not want to lose his partner. Despite being accustomed to heartache and pain, he is determined to win her back. The lyrics suggest that he has put up with a lot of emotional distress in his previous relationships, but he is willing to endure more for the sake of the person he loves.
The singer's desperation to keep his partner is often found in real-life relationships where one person is fearful of losing the other. The song highlights the universality of the human experience, where each one of us may, at some point in time, face this struggle to hold on to love in the face of adversity. The line 'I played a fool for her smile, I found a groove in her style' implies that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to win back his partner. The phrase 'she was living up inside my head' is a metaphor for how the singer cannot seem to let go of the memories of his past relationship with his partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I'm just a loser
I lack self-confidence and sometimes consider myself a failure
Whose will is none too strong
I don't have a lot of determination
But I don't want to lose her
I care about her deeply
Even if my choice is wrong
Even if it's not the best decision for me
I've been used to all the heartache
I'm familiar with the pain of relationships
The jealousy and pain
The negative emotions often associated with love
So I'm well aware of what it takes
I understand the effort required
To win her back again
To gain back her affection
I played a fool for her smile, I found a groove in her style
I did foolish things just to make her happy and learned how to please her
I hung on every word that she said
I was captivated by her and trusted her completely
But she was living up inside my head
My infatuation with her consumed my thoughts
And I better think this whole thing through for awhile
I need to reevaluate the situation with a clear mind
I'm not one to gamble
I don't usually take risks
But in love my rules slide
When it comes to love, I'm willing to take chances
When my heart starts to ramble
When my emotions are confused
I just hang on for the ride
I go along with whatever happens
I've sought advice from all of my friends
I've asked for help from people I trust
I've even read a million books
I've tried to educate myself on love and relationships
But all those good intentions and
Despite the good advice
When she gives me that come on look
When she tries to seduce me
I could go on in misery
I could continue to feel unhappy
But this feeling just won't die
I can't shake my love for her
She's healing on delivery
Her presence makes me feel better
I have to give her one more try
I have to attempt to restart our relationship
It's really time to figure out
It's important to assess the situation
If this love we have is real
If my feelings for her are based in reality
And let's find out what it's all about
Let's see if our relationship has meaning
And give the old cards one more deal
Let's give our love another chance and see what happens
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Timothy Kaihatsu
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind