Stevie Ray had been in numerous bands before joining blues rock combo Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble in the late 1970's.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's debut album was released in 1983. The critically acclaimed Texas Flood (1983) featured the top-20 hit Pride and Joy and sold well in both blues and rock circles.
Stevie Ray Vaughan died August 27th, 1990 when his helicopter crashed into the Alpine Valley ski hill. He was on his way back from playing a guest appearance at an Eric Clapton concert at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Adult life and career
Vaughan's first recording band was called Paul Ray and the Cobras. They played at clubs and bars in Austin during the mid-1970s, and released one single.[2] Vaughan later recorded two other singles under the band name The Cobras.[3] Stevie left the Cobras, leaving Denny Freeman still in his role of original lead guitarist, and formed Triple Threat in late 1975, which included bassist Jackie Newhouse, drummer Chris Layton, vocalist Lou Ann Barton, and sax player Johnny Reno. Barton left the band in 1978 to pursue a solo career, followed by Reno in 1979. The three remaining members started performing under the name Double Trouble, inspired by an Otis Rush song of the same name. Vaughan became the band's lead singer.
Tommy Shannon, the bass player on Johnny Winter's early albums, replaced Newhouse in 1981. A popular Austin act, Vaughan soon attracted the attention of musicians David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Both Browne and Bowie first caught Vaughan at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival, where some members of the audience booed the band because they disliked Double Trouble's hard blues sound; the crowd response was quite different when they were subsequently invited to headline "Blues Night" at the festival in 1985.
In November, 1982, Vaughan recorded in Jackson Browne's studio in downtown Los Angeles. The recordings were brought to the attention of A&R man John Hammond and became Double Trouble's critically acclaimed first album, Texas Flood (1983), produced by Hammond; it featured the Top 20 hit "Pride and Joy" and sold 500,000 copies, earning the band a gold record. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, and its song "Rude Mood" was nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental". Vaughan won three categories in Guitar Player's readers poll: "Best New Talent", "Best Blues Album", and "Best Electric Blues Guitarist". He became the second guitarist to win three Guitar Player awards in one year (the first is Jeff Beck). Vaughan won the "Best Electric Blues Guitarist" award every year until 1991.
Also in 1983 Bowie featured Vaughan on his 1983 album Let's Dance.[4] Vaughan was asked to go on tour with Bowie, but declined so he could continue to play with Double Trouble. Reportedly, Vaughan, who was still driving a delivery truck to support himself, was furious when he saw Bowie pantomiming over Vaughan's guitar solo in the video for "Let's Dance".
The band's next album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, was recorded in January 1984. During mid-1984 Vaughan and Double Trouble made numerous TV appearances, performing on Rockpalast, MuchMusic, and Solid Gold.
During the Grammy Awards of 1984, Vaughan and George Thorogood presented Chuck Berry with a lifetime achievement award. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" from Couldn't Stand The Weather was nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance".
The band played Carnegie Hall in New York City on October 4, 1984. The show featured one Double Trouble set, and a second with guests Dr. John on keyboards, George Rains on drums, Jimmie Vaughan on guitar, Roomful of Blues Horns, and singer Angela Strehli. The group rehearsed in September 1984 at the Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, Texas.
In November, Vaughan won two W.C. Handy National Blues Awards: "Entertainer of the Year" and "Blues Instrumentalist of the Year". It was the first time a white person won either award. During this time, he also began recording with one of his earliest idols, blues-rock guitar pioneer Lonnie Mack, to produce the album Strike Like Lightning on the Alligator label.
In late January 1985, the band went on a six-night Japanese tour with various interviews and performances. In March, the band started to produce their third album Soul to Soul. Reese Wynans, a former keyboardist with Captain Beyond and Delbert McClinton's band, was added to the band not long after. The album's production lasted for two months. On April 10 Vaughan played "The Star Spangled Banner" for opening day of the National League baseball season at the Houston Astrodome (supposedly he didn't get a good audience response from that crowd; he did, at least, get to meet former New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle afterwards). Soul to Soul was released on September 30, 1985; Vaughan received his fifth Grammy nomination: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for one of its songs, "Say What!".
In the following months of 1986, Vaughan and Double Trouble went on tour in New Zealand. It was around this time that he met Janna Lapidus, a touring model in New Zealand.
In mid-1986, the band was considering ideas of a new album, particularly a live album. Shows were set up at the Austin Opera House and at the Dallas Starfest. Audiences saw Vaughan struggle through these shows, as some of the original recordings were filled with technical difficulties.
On August 27, 1986, the Vaughan brothers' father, Big Jim, passed away of heart failure. A funeral was arranged two days later. The boys rushed home to comfort their mother, yet had little time to mourn. After the funeral was finished, a jet rushed Vaughan to Montreal, Quebec, where he played the "Labatt Blues Fest" (in Quebec, so named for their flagship beer "Labatt Blue"), known elsewhere as the "Miller Beer Festival" in Jarry Park.
The recordings in both Dallas and Austin, as well as the Montreux Jazz Festival, were edited and later released on Live Alive in November 1986.
Studio Albums:
Texas Flood (1983)
Couldn't Stand the Weather (1984)
Soul to Soul (1985)
In Step (1989)
Family Style (with Brother Jimmie Vaughan as "The Vaughan Brothers", 1990)
The Sky Is Crying (posthumous release) (1991)
Official live audio releases:
In the Beginning (Live, recorded 1980)
In Session (Live, with Albert King, recorded 1983)
Live at Carnegie Hall (Live, recorded 1984)
Live Alive (Live, recorded 1986)
Live At Montreux 1982 & 1985' (Live, recorded 1982 & 1985)
Wolfgang's Vault releases: http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/stevie-ray-vaughan
Compilations:
Greatest Hits (1995)
The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (1995)
The Real Deal: Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1999)
Blues at Sunrise (2000)
SRV (box set, with early recordings, rarities, hits, and live material) (2000)
Crossfire
Stevie Ray Vaughan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blinded by the neon lights
Hurry here, hustlin' there
No one's got the time to spare
Money's tight, nothin' free
Won't somebody come and rescue me
I am stranded, caught in the crossfire
Stranded, caught in the crossfire
Tooth for tooth, eye for an eye
Sell your soul just to buy, buy, buy
Beggin' a dollar, stealin' a dime
Come on can't you see that I
I am stranded, caught in the crossfire
I am stranded, caught in the crossfire
I need some kind of kindness
Some kind of sympathy, oh no
We're stranded, caught in the crossfire
Save the strong, lose the weak
Never turning the other cheek
Trust nobody, don't be no fool
Whatever happened to the golden rule?
We got stranded, caught in the crossfire
We got stranded, caught in the crossfire
We got stranded, caught in the crossfire
Stranded, caught in the crossfire
Help me
The lyrics to Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Crossfire" deal with themes of being trapped and struggling in a world full of greed and aggression. The opening lines talk about the constant hustle and bustle of life, with people always on the go and too caught up in their own problems to notice others in need. The singer is feeling isolated and alone, calling out for someone to rescue them from their predicament.
The second verse illustrates the cutthroat nature of society, where people are willing to do anything to get ahead, even if it means sacrificing their own morals and values. The singer pleads for kindness and empathy, something that seems to be in short supply in this world of self-serving individuals. The final verse speaks to the breakdown of traditional values, where trust and compassion have been cast aside in favor of ruthless ambition.
Overall, "Crossfire" is a reflection of the harsh realities of modern life, where struggling individuals are often left behind in a world that is focused on the accumulation of wealth and power. The lyrics paint a bleak picture, but the powerful guitar riff and Stevie Ray Vaughan's soulful vocals give the song a sense of hope and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Day by day, night after night
Every day and every night, without any break
Blinded by the neon lights
Enveloped by and unable to break away from the glitzy allure of night life
Hurry here, hustlin' there
Rushing from one task to another, hustling to make ends meet
No one's got the time to spare
Everyone is so busy that they don't have a moment to spare for anyone else
Money's tight, nothin' free
Everyone is struggling financially and there is no sense of generosity or charity
Won't somebody come and rescue me
Desperate plea for someone to come save me from this situation
I am stranded, caught in the crossfire
I am trapped and helpless, caught between conflicting forces
Tooth for tooth, eye for an eye
Vengeance and retaliation is the norm
Sell your soul just to buy, buy, buy
People are willing to compromise their integrity and values for the sake of material possessions
Beggin' a dollar, stealin' a dime
People are resorting to begging or stealing just to make ends meet
Come on can't you see that I
Can't you see that I am in dire straits and need help?
I need some kind of kindness
I am in need of compassion and empathy from others
Some kind of sympathy, oh no
I am in dire straits and need help and understanding
We're stranded, caught in the crossfire
We are all in the same boat, trapped and helpless
Save the strong, lose the weak
In this merciless world, only the strong and powerful survive, while the weak and powerless perish
Never turning the other cheek
There is no forgiveness or mercy shown towards one's enemies, only retaliation
Trust nobody, don't be no fool
In this cut-throat world, trust is a luxury and being naive is a grave mistake
Whatever happened to the golden rule?
What happened to the value of treating others the way you would like to be treated?
Help me
I am in desperate need of assistance and support
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Bill Carter, Chris Layton, Reese Wynans, Ruth Ellsworth, Thomas Smedley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ramiz110
Day by day, night after night
Blinded by the neon light
Hurry here, hustling there
No one's got the time to spare
Money's tight, nothing free
Won't somebody come and rescue me
I am stranded, caught in the crossfire
Stranded, caught in the crossfire
Tooth for tooth, eye for an eye
Sell your soul just to bop on by
Beggin' for a dollar, stealin' a dime
Come on can't you see that I'm
Stranded, caught in the crossfire
I am stranded, caught in the crossfire
I need some, kind of kindness
Some kind of sympathy, oh no
(Lead) Save the strong, lose the weak
Never turning the other cheek
Trust nobody, don't be no fool
Whatever happened to the golden rule
@napoliansolo7865
I've always felt that SRV never got enough recognition for his singing. He had a great voice.
@fabijanbaric9816
preech!
@mattmay7109
Criminally underappreciated as his voice is overshadowed by his out of this world guitar skills.
@aprilalt8806
I agree 100 percent!
@user-jy3qj4el9x
Exactly
@scottlepine
who has even tried to fill his shoes with the guitar
@pdog44450
Not only could SRV absolutely shred, he had some amazing pipes to boot.
@owen5265
People who don't understand some good-ass music
@jonerton67
could stand alone on either one, yet he has both gifts
@dereknix8032
AWESOME! SRV is the man on guitar !!