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
I'm Walkin'
The Robert Cray Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seem like thirty-five
Cause everything you said
Turned out to be a lie
I was sweet to you,
I didn't even have to try
Now I look into your eyes
All I see is the other guy
All that talkin',
You ain't got nothin' to say
Well I can tell you
It's time that had to pay
You're gonna pay
You're gonna be sorry some day
That'll while I'm walkin'
Tired of you talkin' down to me
Baby I'm walkin'
Walkin' away from you and me
I wanna be free
I wanna be free from you and me
We were good toghether
That was long ago
Before you left the high road
Took off down the below
You knew what you were doin'
I didn't even have to see
You can fool me twice girl,
I think it's shame on me
Day by day
Sun goes down in flames
All that you can say
Is I'm the one to blame
It's all the same
Just play your little girl game
That'll while I'm walkin'
Tired of you talkin' down to me
Baby I'm walkin'
Walkin' away from you and me
I wanna be free
I wanna be free from you and me
That'll while I'm walkin'
Tired of you talkin' down to me
Baby I'm walkin'
Yeh, Finnaly found the key
You know I'm walkin'
Strollin' out the door
It's all gone-babe
And I won't be back no more
I gotta be free
I gotta be free from you and me
In the song "I'm Walkin'" by The Robert Cray Band, the lyrics speak about a person who has spent ten years with someone who has done nothing but lie to them. The individual spoke sweetly to this person, but now they can only see the other guy when they look into their eyes. The singer is tired of the other person talking down to them and accuses them of being all talk and no action.
The lyric "before you left the high road, took off down the below" is an analogy where "the high road" represents honesty and "the below" represents deceit. The singer states that they didn't even need to see the other person's actions to know what they were doing. The singer realizes that they must leave this person and that they want to be free from them.
Some possible interpretations of this song are that it's about a person who spent too much time with someone who lied to them or about being in a relationship that started off good but over time turned sour. The lyrics also allude to the theme that actions speak louder than words, and that words alone don't mean much.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten long years,
Ten years with you felt like thirty-five, an insufferable lifetime.
Seem like thirty-five
An unbearable stretch of time.
Cause everything you said
All the talk coming from you.
Turned out to be a lie
Ultimately was proven to be false.
I was sweet to you,
I treated you kindly.
I didn't even have to try
It came naturally.
Now I look into your eyes
When I gaze upon you.
All I see is the other guy
I realize you have another man in your thoughts.
All that talkin',
Your constant chatter.
You ain't got nothin' to say
Now you're speechless.
Well I can tell you
Let me inform you.
It's time that had to pay
You're going to face the consequences.
You're gonna pay
You will experience retribution.
You're gonna be sorry some day
One day you will regret your actions.
That'll while I'm walkin'
As I leave.
Tired of you talkin' down to me
I'm weary of your condescension.
Baby I'm walkin'
I'm moving on from you.
Walkin' away from you and me
I'm distancing myself from our relationship.
I wanna be free
I desire liberation.
I wanna be free from you and me
I want to be rid of our connection altogether.
We were good together
We were compatible in the past.
That was long ago
But that's now in the distant past.
Before you left the high road
Before you abandoned your integrity.
Took off down the below
You headed off towards the depths of deceit.
You knew what you were doin'
You were fully aware of the implications of your actions.
I didn't even have to see
I didn't even have to consciously realize.
You can fool me twice girl,
You won't fool me more than once.
I think it's shame on me
I am to blame for any further deception.
Day by day
As time passes.
Sun goes down in flames
Every day ends in disaster.
All that you can say
The only words coming out of your mouth.
Is I'm the one to blame
Are placing the fault on me.
It's all the same
It's all completely predictable.
Just play your little girl game
Keep on pretending, I see through it all now.
Yeh, Finnaly found the key
I have finally found the solution.
Strollin' out the door
Leaving for good, making my exit.
It's all gone-babe
The relationship is over.
And I won't be back no more
I am finished and am not returning ever again.
I gotta be free
It is imperative that I have freedom.
I gotta be free from you and me
I must be free of anything connecting us and our past together.
Contributed by Allison M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.