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.
Tell The Landlord
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I’m gonna move on baby nothin’ seems to go my way
I’m gonna pack up and leave ya nothin’ can make me stay
You did me wrong, you so mean
I give up, queen beat the king
Some rainy morning
There’ll be tears in your eyes
In your eyes
You’ll look around for my check
You’ll freak out start to sweat
Ooh, some rainy morning
Don’t be surprised
There’ll be tears in your eyes
In your eyes
Flowers on the table, I didn’t buy
Champagne in the icebox store bought fries
Oh, some rainy morning
There’ll be tears in your eyes
In your eyes
I’m gonna move on baby
Nothin’ seems to go my way
I’m gonna move on baby
Nothin’ seems to go my way
And you can tell that landlord, I refuse to pay
Go on and tell him baby, mm
Go on and tell him babe, I refuse to pay
In Robert Cray's song "Tell the Landlord", the singer expresses his intention to leave his partner and move on. He feels that nothing seems to go his way, and as a result, he is determined to pack up and leave. He is no longer willing to stay with someone who has done him wrong and is mean to him. The singer gives up, and he feels that the queen has beaten the king in their relationship.
The chorus suggests that the partner will regret losing the singer. She will look around for his check and start to panic when she can't find it. The flowers on the table and the champagne in the icebox were already there before the singer came home, implying that his partner wasn't interested in making an effort in their relationship.
The song is about a man leaving his partner, and letting the landlord know that they refuse to pay anymore, and this could be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, the couple had been staying together, and one of them decides to leave, leaving the other to foot the bills. Secondly, they might have split bills and rent equally and are now refusing to pay for their part of the rent.
Line by Line Meaning
I’m gonna move on baby nothin’ seems to go my way
The singer is experiencing bad luck and decides to leave.
I’m gonna pack up and leave ya nothin’ can make me stay
The singer is determined to leave their current situation and nothing can change their mind.
You did me wrong, you so mean
The singer has been treated badly by the person they are addressing.
I give up, queen beat the king
The artist has given up trying to make things work with the person they are addressing who is now in control.
Some rainy morning
A future time when the artist will be gone and the person they are addressing will regret their actions.
Don’t be surprised
The singer warns that the person they are addressing will regret their actions if they continue their behavior.
There’ll be tears in your eyes
The person they are addressing will be upset when they realize what they have lost.
You’ll look around for my check
The person they are addressing will realize they won't be getting any more money from the artist after they leave.
You’ll freak out start to sweat
The person they are addressing will worry and regret their past behavior when they realize what they have lost.
Flowers on the table, I didn’t buy
The person they are addressing is trying to make up for their past behavior, but it is too late.
Champagne in the icebox store bought fries
The person they are addressing is trying to make up for their past behavior, but it is too late.
And you can tell that landlord, I refuse to pay
The artist is leaving and does not intent to pay any outstanding debts to the person they are addressing.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: KEVIN ROBERT HAYES, KARL SEVAREID, ROBERT WILLIAM CRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind