With ba… Read Full Bio ↴Robert Cray is an American blues guitarist, composer and singer.
With bassist Richard Cousins, keyboardist Peter Boe and drummer Tom Murphy, they launched The Robert Cray Band in 1980 with "Who's Been Talkin". The album was recorded during constant touring in the U.S. in 1978. The record was initially shelved for two years, being eventually issued by the short-lived Tomato label (whose licence was picked up by "Atlantic Records" (U.S.) and "Charly" in the UK.
After several years of regional success, Cray was signed to Mercury in 1982. It was the connection with the producing and songwriting team of Bruce Bromberg and Dennis Walker at Hightone that helped to create the mold-breaking music of "Bad Influence" (1983) and "False Accusations" (1985).
In 1984, The Robert Cray Band completed their first European tour to critical acclaim. Cray's participation with Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland on "Showdown!" (1985, Alligator) and the 1986 album release, "Strong Persuader", again produced by Walker, both received Grammy Awards, while the crossover single "Smoking Gun" gave him wider appeal and name recognition. During 1986 Cray played 170 concerts, including his seventh European tour since 1984, building on his increasing reputation in the UK.
The Robert Cray Band's next album "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (1988) was recorded in Los Angeles, California, and featured David Sanborn on guest saxophone. The title song from the album won Cray his third Grammy, and he guested on Eric Clapton's "Journeyman", whilst also being on the bill at Clapton's eighteen show marathon at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In 1991 Cray was selected to present Howlin' Wolf's induction trophy to Wolf's widow, Lilly Burnett, at the sixth annual "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" Awards. Later that year Cray took part in the "Newport Jazz Festival" with B. B. King and John Lee Hooker.
Cray issued his following records under his own name, Robert Cray
A Picture Of A Broken Heart
The Robert Cray Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see you almost every night
I watch you dance every dance
Men lined up left and right
I hear you tell them stories
Of your happy neon life
Deception's quite an art
Just one look into your party face
There′s a picture of a broken heart
There's a picture of a broken heart
You wear your smile a little too tight
You flirt too much with the band
You laugh and sing just a little too loud
Like someone who's just lost their man
Your act is quite convincing
But loneliness leaves clues
You paint a pretty picture
Deception′s quite an art
Just one look into your party face
There′s a picture of a broken heart
A picture of a broken heart
I can see a thousand heartaches hidden in your stare
The hurt behind those sad eyes, I been there
I've had my own high times and I′ve had my falls
You can talk a thousand words, but one picture says it all
(Guitar Solo)
I glance at you while no one's looking
I see the pain cloud up your eyes
I′ve watched you blink back a memory
I've watched you choke back a cry
But when the light′s back on you
You're right back in disguise
You paint a pretty picture
Deception's quite an art
Just one look into your party face
There′s a picture of a broken heart
A picture of a broken heart
A picture of a broken heart
Yeah, yeah
I know you′ve been crying
Yeahh, yeahh
(Guitar)
In The Robert Cray Band's song "A Picture Of A Broken Heart," the singer is observing someone from afar who is trying to mask their pain and insecurities through a facade of partying and excess. The person in question goes out clubbing with friends every night, dancing with multiple men and weaving stories of a happy neon life, but upon closer inspection, it is apparent that this is all just an act. Her smiles are tight and forced, she flirts with the band excessively, and laughs and sings loudly to hide the fact that she's just lost someone important to her. Despite her efforts to conceal her emotional turmoil, the singer sees through it all, understanding the tell-tale signs of loneliness and brokenness in her eyes.
As the song progresses, the singer laments the fact that this woman feels she has to put up a front to hide her pain, and that despite her efforts to deceive the world, the truth is written all over her face. The singer sympathizes with her, and acknowledges that he too has had his own share of highs and lows, but ultimately what matters is that one picture can speak volumes about what's truly going on inside someone's heart.
The song is a poignant commentary on the struggles of masking one's true emotions, and the toll it takes on an individual's psyche. Through the use of vivid lyrics and a haunting melody, The Robert Cray Band creates a moving portrayal of someone who is desperately trying to hide their heartbreak from the world.
Line by Line Meaning
You're out with friends going club to club
You're always out with your friends, club hopping
I see you almost every night
I see you almost every time you go out
I watch you dance every dance
I see you dancing with different men every time
Men lined up left and right
There are always men around you
I hear you tell them stories
I hear you telling them about your happy life
Of your happy neon life
How happy you are with your current lifestyle
You paint a pretty picture
You make everything look perfect
Deception's quite an art
You're an expert in deceiving people
Just one look into your party face
If someone looks closely, they can see that you're not actually happy
There's a picture of a broken heart
You have a broken heart, even if you pretend to be happy
You wear your smile a little too tight
You force yourself to smile even when you don't feel like it
You flirt too much with the band
You flirt with the band members to fill the void inside
You laugh and sing just a little too loud
You try too hard to have fun
Like someone who's just lost their man
Like someone who just went through a breakup
Your act is quite convincing
You're good at acting happy
But loneliness leaves clues
The loneliness you feel shows through your actions
I can see a thousand heartaches hidden in your stare
I can see that you've been hurt many times just by looking into your eyes
The hurt behind those sad eyes, I been there
I know what it's like to feel that kind of hurt
I've had my own high times and I've had my falls
I've had my own good and bad experiences
You can talk a thousand words, but one picture says it all
You can try to deceive people with your words, but your true feelings are shown in your picture
(Guitar Solo)
I glance at you while no one's looking
I look at you when no one else is around
I see the pain cloud up your eyes
I can see the pain in your eyes
I've watched you blink back a memory
I've seen you try to hold back a memory or a tear
I've watched you choke back a cry
I've seen you try to stop yourself from crying
But when the light's back on you
When people are paying attention to you again
You're right back in disguise
You go back to acting happy
Yeah, yeah
I know you've been crying
I know you've been upset
Yeahh, yeahh
(Guitar)
Writer(s): William Scaggs, Dennis Walker
Contributed by Madison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.