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.
The Forecast
Robert Cray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shot of whiskey on the side
It's a dark and dreary morning
With the clouds covering up the sky
[Chorus:]
The forecast calls for pain
The forecast calls for pain
And the forecast calls for pain
We stayed up all night talking
She's grown restless she confessed
She says there's no one new
But deep down I know that's next
[Chorus]
She says she tried and tried yes she has
But slowly her love has died
I can see that deep down inside she's changed
The forecast calls for pain
The forecast calls for pain
The forecast calls for pain
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I can hear approaching thunder
I can feel chills run up my spine
I've seen love freeze before
And I know I'm on borrowed time
[Chorus]
I can feel the thunder
I can see the lightning
I can feel the pain
Oh, it's gonna rain
[Chorus]
Robert Cray's song "The Forecast" is a reflective piece about an impending heartbreak. The opening lines set a foreboding mood as the singer starts off his day with coffee and a shot of whiskey, suggesting that he is trying to brace himself for the tough times ahead. The lyrics go on to describe his conversation with his partner who has grown restless and confesses that there's no one new, but the singer suspects that she's lying. He can see the signs that her love has died and that the relationship is on borrowed time. The chorus repeats the line "the forecast calls for pain," cementing the singer's sense of impending doom.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more intense, with the singer anticipating thunder, witnessing lightning, and feeling pain - all of which are metaphorical representations of the emotional rollercoaster he is about to experience. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing that the heartbreak he's about to experience is inevitable. However, there's a sense of resignation and acceptance in the way Cray delivers the melancholic lyrics. The song ends on a somber note with Cray singing about the impending rain, symbolizing the tears that are likely to follow his heartbreak.
Overall, "The Forecast" is a poignant song that portrays the emotional turmoil of impending heartbreak. Its lyrics evoke a sense of helplessness and resignation, as the singer braces himself for the pain that is about to come. Cray's evocative voice, accompanied by the bluesy guitar riffs, creates a moody atmosphere that captures the essence of this classic blues song.
Line by Line Meaning
Coffee for my breakfast
Starting the day with coffee
Shot of whiskey on the side
Having whiskey to cope with something unpleasant
It's a dark and dreary morning
The morning being unpleasant and gloomy
With the clouds covering up the sky
The sky being obscured by clouds
The forecast calls for pain
Expecting there to be pain or heartache
My baby's turning cold
The person's significant other becoming distant and unresponsive
And the forecast calls for pain
Reiterating the expectation of pain
We stayed up all night talking
Having an extended conversation
She's grown restless she confessed
The person's significant other expressing a sense of unease
She says there's no one new
Denying the presence of a new love interest
But deep down I know that's next
Suspecting that there will be someone new eventually
She says she tried and tried yes she has
The person's significant other saying they tried to make things work
But slowly her love has died
Their significant other falling out of love over time
I can see that deep down inside she's changed
Observing that their significant other has changed emotionally
I can hear approaching thunder
Noticing potentially ominous weather
I can feel chills run up my spine
Feeling a sense of unease
I've seen love freeze before
Having experienced a relationship turning cold
And I know I'm on borrowed time
Feeling that the relationship has limited time left
I can see the lightning
The storm intensifying
I can feel the pain
Experiencing emotional pain and heartache
Oh, it's gonna rain
Suggesting that a storm is likely, both literally and metaphorically
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID PLENN, DENNIS WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind