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)
Dirty Pool
Stevie Ray Vaughan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
True love is gone, I's been played for a fool
I'm turnin' the tables on you
You've been playin' dirty pool
You said you'd call the shots darlin',
All your friends thought that was cool, so cool baby
You said you'd call the shots darlin',
Yeah when you shot at the eight-ball baby,
I knew you were playin' dirty pool
They say that life, life is a game of give and take
They say that life, life is a game of give and take
I'm tellin' you one thing right now little baby
I won't be the one to pay for your mistake
The lyrics of the song Dirty Pool by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble convey the story of a man who has been played for a fool in a loving relationship. He discovers that his true love is gone and feels that he has been played by her. He decides to turn the tables on his lover and accuse her of playing dirty pool. The opening line of the song clearly shows the disappointment and betrayal felt by the singer. He uses gambling metaphors such as eight-ball and dirty pool to illustrate his emotions in a creative manner.
The singer accuses his lover of manipulating him by claiming that she will call the shots and control the relationship. He also brings to light the fact that her friends had thought it was cool for her to do so. However, he isn't willing to be fooled anymore and tells his lover that he knows she has been playing dirty pool with him. The final verse talks about life being a game of give and take, but he's not ready to pay for her mistake and take the blame for their relationship falling apart.
Dirty Pool is a soulful blues-rock song that resonates with listeners who have been through similar struggles in relationships. The song has gained popularity over the years for its emotive lyrics and catchy blues melody. Taking inspiration from the blues legends such as Muddy Waters and Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan exhibited his blues guitar prowess on this song.
Line by Line Meaning
True love is gone, I's been played for a fool
My true love has left me, I feel like a fool for trusting you with my heart
I'm turnin' the tables on you
I'm going to even the score, I won't be the victim anymore
You've been playin' dirty pool
You've been cheating and taking advantage of me in this game called love
You said you'd call the shots darlin',
All your friends thought that was cool, so cool baby
You claimed to be in control of our relationship, and your friends agreed and thought it was great
Yeah when you shot at the eight-ball baby,
I knew you were playin' dirty pool
When you made a sneaky move, I realized you were cheating me in this game of love
They say that life, life is a game of give and take
It's commonly said that life involves both getting and giving something back
I'm tellin' you one thing right now little baby
I won't be the one to pay for your mistake
I'm letting you know that I won't take responsibility or suffer because of your actions in this relationship
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Doyle Bramhall, Stevie Ray Vaughan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Blues Student
True love is gone
I's been played for a fool
True love is gone
I's been played for a fool
I'm turnin' the tables on you
You been playin' dirty pool
You said you'd call the shots darlin'
All your friends thought that was cool
You said you'd call the shots darlin'
All your friends thought that was so cool
Yeah, but when you shot at the eight ball baby,
I knew you were playin' dirty pool
They say that life
life is a game of give 'n' take
They say that life
life is a game of give 'n' take
I'm tellin' you one thing right now little baby,
I won't be the one to pay for your mistakes
Frank Zappa
One of SRV's most underrated tracks for sure....
Darryl frost
I agree, that sweep picking is next level.
Thomas Frontcakas
I've played in many bands for over 30 years as lead guitarist and watched many many people try playing the fast strumming part and trip over they're strings making a huge mess. Definitely one of his hardest songs. It's like flaminko guitar on an electric. Never stop being amazed at his wide range of talent
Ray Walters
Yeah its quickly becoming one of my favorite songs. The confidence the dude had was unimaginable. #LEGEND
Maracuja Iz Srbije
The most underrated. It's on par with the likes of Texas Flood and Tin Pan Alley.
david Schmid
This song is one of the greatest blues tracks ever.
Nick
100
Joseph Ramone
💯💯💯💯💯
Thomas Revere
I couldn't agree more.
Marsha Rupe
I consider myself lucky to have seen him three times, once in a club before his first album came out. It's hard to believe he's been gone 25 years. He had amazing talent.