Robert Cray (born August 1, 1953, Columbus, Georgia) is an American blues g… Read Full Bio ↴Robert Cray (born August 1, 1953, Columbus, Georgia) is an American blues guitarist and singer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he has led his own band (the Robert Cray Band), as well as an acclaimed solo career. In 2011, Cray was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.

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.

Phone Booth
Robert Cray Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched on the wall
I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched on the wall
I'm new in Chicago
Got no one else to call

Been walkin' all day

For old friends, I can't find
Heart's so cold
Had to buy me some wine
Calling you, baby
Took my very last dime

I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched up on the wall
I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched on the wall
I'm new in Chicago
Got no one else to call

Said, call Big Rita
Anytime, day or night
You know I'm broke and I'm cold, baby
And I hope you'll treat me right

I'm in a phone booth, baby
With the cold wind right outside

Overall Meaning

The Robert Cray Band's "Phone Booth" is a blues-rock classic that tells the story of a man who finds himself alone in a big city with no one to turn to but a woman whose number he finds scratched on the wall of a phone booth. The song begins with the lyrics, "I'm in a phone booth, baby, number scratched on the wall. I'm new in Chicago, got no one else to call." The man is walking around the city all day, looking for old friends, and feeling lonely and isolated. He decides to call the woman whose number he found, even though he's broke and it takes his last dime to make the call.

The song is a powerful expression of the yearning for human connection, even in the midst of despair and loneliness. The phone booth, a relic of a bygone era, becomes a symbol of the isolation and alienation that many people experience in modern society. The singer's desperate attempt to reach out to someone, anyone, is a powerful statement about the human need for love and companionship. The bluesy guitar riffs and soulful vocals of the song create a hauntingly beautiful sound that perfectly captures the mood of the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm in a phone booth, baby
The singer finds themselves stuck in a phone booth.

Number scratched on the wall
There's a phone number written on the booth's wall.

I'm new in Chicago
The singer is new to the city of Chicago.

Got no one else to call
The artist doesn't have anyone else to call for help or companionship.

Been walkin' all day
The artist has been walking around all day.

For old friends, I can't find
The singer has been searching for old friends, but has been unable to locate them.

Heart's so cold
The singer's heart is feeling very cold, possibly due to loneliness or isolation.

Had to buy me some wine
The artist purchased a bottle of wine for comfort.

Calling you, baby
The artist is calling someone they refer to as 'baby.'

Took my very last dime
The artist has spent all their money on this call.

Said, call Big Rita
The singer is suggesting that whoever they are calling should reach out to someone named 'Big Rita'.

Anytime, day or night
They suggest that Big Rita should be available at all times.

You know I'm broke and I'm cold, baby
The singer is emphasizing their current state of financial and emotional desperation.

And I hope you'll treat me right
The singer is requesting that the person they are calling treat them kindly.

With the cold wind right outside
The singer mentions the cold wind outside, perhaps to emphasize the bleakness of their current surroundings and circumstances.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DENNIS WALKER, MICHAEL VANNICE, RICHARD COUSINS, ROBERT CRAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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