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.
Love Gone To Waste
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Next day we fight
You change your mind, girl
Like day and night
Like Jekyl and Hyde
You come and you go
Why you so mean, girl
You do it all the time
Keep a frown on your face
Like a fool left out all night, oh baby
Love gone to waste
Gone to waste
Don't make no sense
The way you do
Thought all the things, girl ??
I'd do for you
Why can't you be
Like you used to?
Do the same things, girl
You used to do
You throw the love away
And we don't get a taste
If you don't use, you lose, baby
Love gone to waste
Gone to waste
(solo)
I'm gonna leave
If things don't change
Can't take no more, girl
You acting strange
Life's just too short
Love is hard to find
Don't be no fool, girl
Don't waste my time
There's too much at stake
To walk out in haste
Has love grown cold?
Oh, baby
Love gone to waste
Gone to waste
Has love gone to waste, baby?
Has it gone to waste?
Gone to waste
Gone to waste
Yeah
There's too much at stake, baby
Has it gone to waste?
Heeeeyyyyyyyyyyy, hey!
Gone to waste, yes
Too much at stake, baby!
The lyrics of Robert Cray's song "Love Gone To Waste" depict the struggles and frustrations of a relationship that is constantly going back and forth. The song describes the rollercoaster of emotions that come with loving someone who changes their mind constantly and doesn't seem to appreciate the love that is being given to them. The comparison to Jekyl and Hyde highlights the drastic changes in behavior that are causing turmoil in the relationship. The singer is asking the girl to go back to the way things were before, and not to throw away the love that they have. He is willing to leave if things don't change, as he believes he is wasting his time with someone who doesn't value the love they share.
The song's chorus highlights the feeling of frustration from not being able to enjoy the love that they share. The line "If you don't use, you lose, baby" suggests that the girl is taking their love for granted, and if she doesn't start appreciating it soon, it will be gone. The singer is questioning why the girl is acting the way she is, and why she can't see how good they have it. The song ends with a plea for the girl not to waste their love, as there is too much at stake to let it go to waste.
Line by Line Meaning
One day we love
Our love may vary day by day
Next day we fight
Our fights may occur immediately after a period of love
You change your mind, girl
Your changeability is perplexing
Like day and night
Your moods alternate constantly
Like Jekyl and Hyde
Your behavior has opposing extremes that are undisguisable
You come and you go
You appear and disappear with no explanation
Why you so mean, girl
Your hostile attitude is unreasonable
I just don't know
I cannot understand your behavior
You do it all the time
Your actions are repetitive
Keep a frown on your face
You are always unhappy and bring everyone down with you
Like a fool left out all night, oh baby
Feeling abandoned and helpless
Love gone to waste
Our love is unappreciated and misused
Don't make no sense
Your decisions and actions are illogical
The way you do
Your behavior
Thought all the things, girl, I'd do for you
I have sacrificed for you without appreciation
Why can't you be, like you used to?
I miss how our relationship used to be
Do the same things, girl, you used to do
I want our relationship to return to previous patterns
You throw the love away
You do not value our love
And we don't get a taste
We are not given a chance to truly experience our love
If you don't use, you lose, baby
If you do not appreciate and tend to our relationship, we may lose it
I'm gonna leave
I will walk away from this relationship
If things don't change
If your behavior does not change
Can't take no more, girl
I am emotionally drained from your behavior
You acting strange
Your behavior is bizarre
Life's just too short
I do not want to waste my time with someone who does not appreciate me
Love is hard to find
Finding true love is a rare opportunity
Don't be no fool, girl
Do not take our love for granted
There's too much at stake
This relationship is important to both of us
To walk out in haste
We should not give up without trying to save our relationship
Has love grown cold?
Is our love dead?
Oh, baby
Expression of sadness and loss
Has it gone to waste?
Is our relationship ruined?
Yeah
Expression of agreement
Too much at stake, baby!
We have invested too much in this relationship to give up easily
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.