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.
Not Bad for Love
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Isn't it amazing, how it's so strong.
We've been around much too long.
To let a little pain, cut us off.
Those days are gone.
Love's not bad at all.
Down on my luck and I was lost.
No, no...
Now just because, we don't agree, that doesn't mean
That you and me, can't be together,
No, no, no...
I guess we're hard to keep apart.
Love's not bad at all!
The song "Not Bad for Love" by Robert Cray has a simple yet powerful message about the endurance and power of love. The lyrics talk about the strength and longevity of the bond between two individuals who have been through a lot. The opening lines of the song "Not bad for love. Not bad at all." sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer acknowledges that true love is hard to come by and therefore, it's essential to value and cherish it.
Throughout the song, the singer talks about how they have been through the tough times together, but their love has not wavered. He sings, "We've been around much too long. To let a little pain, cut us off. Those days are gone. Love's not bad at all." This line is a testament to their resilience and how they have weathered the storms of life together. Their love has not weakened, but rather it has grown stronger over the years.
The last part of the song talks about how even though they do not always agree on everything, it does not mean that their love is any less valuable. In fact, they are meant to be together, and their love is too strong to be deterred by any differences they may have. The song comes full circle with the line "Love's not bad at all!" reinforcing the fact that even in the toughest of situations, love can be enough to overcome all obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Not bad for love. Not bad at all.
Love has been good to us and we have no complaints.
Isn't it amazing, how it's so strong.
It's incredible how love can be so powerful.
We've been around much too long.
We have been together for a very long time now.
To let a little pain, cut us off.
Despite the pain we have experienced, we will not let it tear us apart.
Those days are gone.
The difficult times we faced in the past are now behind us.
Love's not bad at all.
Overall, love has been good to us.
Down on my luck and I was lost.
I was going through a rough time and felt like I had no direction in life.
Could have give up on living, but you didn't let me fall.
I could have given up on life, but you were there to support and encourage me.
Now just because, we don't agree, that doesn't mean
Just because we have differing opinions or ideas, it doesn't mean
That you and me, can't be together,
That we cannot be in a relationship.
No, no, no...
Absolutely not.
I guess we're hard to keep apart.
It seems like we are meant to be together.
Love's not bad at all!
Overall, we have a great love story.
Contributed by Evan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.