Robert Cray

[fox69]

"Passing By"

"Passing By"


I get chills when I think back to

The times when we
Were hurting one another

I look back on that now

And it's good to know
That we've found some sacred ground

Sometimes like a storm
It was cold and rainy

But we got by

We lost years
Trying to find it

How in the world did we survive?

It almost died

And if we protect our love
There's a chance that we might
Make it last forever

And if we wait too long
There's a chance that we may never know

If love goes passing by

What about starting something new?

Just the two of us, baby
Got an awful lot to do

It don't matter who was wrong
Cause I know that we can make it

Right now we've got to stay strong

At times I know it wasn't easy
But we'll get by

It's much too late
To walk away and say goodbye
And let our love die

And if we protect our love
There's a chance that we might
Make it last forever

The past is dead
The past is gone

Why take a chance that we may never know
If love goes passing by

And time wouldn't change a thing
Oh, no
It'd be a shame if we don't try

And time wouldn't change a thing
No
If love goes passing by

Oh, no
Mmmmm

 

[fox69]

"Payin' For It Now"

"Payin' For It Now"


Met her in a night club
Alvey's hideaway

I could tell by looking at her
That she had come to play

Bought her three gin and tonics
And we told each other lies

Then I headed to the motel
With my little prize

And I'm payin' for it now
Payin' for it now

She's gone and so's my wallet
And I'm payin' for it now

Girl took off, and took all my duckets

Then I ran into Maggie
Old friend of mine
She said, "Let's do some reminiscing"
"Go and get some wine."

She could drink just like a sailor
Got as drunk as I could be
By the time the night was over, yeah
The joke it was on me

And I'm payin' for it now
Payin' for it now

She took me off the market
And I'm paying for it now

She was soft and friendly
And willing as can be
Had a pretty little tattoo
Right above her knee

I got it down to business
Then I fell asleep
She said I made her promises, promises
That she's expecting me to keep

And I'm payin' for it now
Payin' for it now

That girl was talkin' marriage
And I'm payin' for it now

Well I should have got suspicious
When she started acting nice
Should have read the signals
Should have thought about it twice

For eleven days running
She was cozy in the night
And when she laid it on me
You know, I didn't even fight

And I'm payin' for it now
Oh Lord, I'm payin' for it now

Here comes her mother with her suitcase
And I'm payin' for it now

No, not my mother-in-law
Jeez, her daughter

No, no, no

 

[fox69]

"Phone Booth"

"Phone Booth"


I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched on the wall
I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched on the wall
I'm new in Chicago
Got no one else to call

Been walkin' all day
For old friends I can't find
Hearts so cold
Had to buy me some wine
Calling you, baby
Took my very last dime

I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched up on the wall
I'm in a phone booth, baby
Number scratched on the wall
I'm new in Chicago
Got no one else to call

Said call Big Rita
Anytime, day or night
You know I'm broke and I'm cold, baby
And I hope you'll treat me right
I'm in a phone booth, baby
With the cold wind right outside

 

[fox69]

"Playin' In The Dirt"

"Playin' In The Dirt"


Now, you know that I'm married
And baby, so are you
But right now we're not thinking
Past this little rendezvous

We both know what's gonna happen
Four people gonna get hurt
Cause it's bound to rub off on us
When we're playing in the dirt

You'll probably lose your husband
I know I'll lose my wife
You'd think that we'd know better
At this point in our lives

So we might as well enjoy it
Take it for what it's worth
Cause we're gonna get some on us
When we're playing in the dirt

It's the same old common story
It's happening all around
Ain't no doubt about it
One more ship is going down

There ain't no escaping
All the troubles on this Earth
We're gonna come up muddy, muddy, muddy
When we're playing in the dirt

 

[fox69]

"Poor Johnny"

"Poor Johnny"


Have a seat and I'll tell you a tale
It wasn't that long ago..
About a guy who turned out to be a cheater got the heater
So the story goes:

He tried the playboy-thing on two friends
Thinking that they'd never know.
They say he got caught in a trap and it snapped
He's not around anymore...

Poor Johnny,

He came home looking cool one day,
Just wasn't lucky to come out that way
Once from the left... then from the right
They took him down, late that night.

Now everyone in town knew he always played around
But not a word was said.
All the money and the clothes,
And the cars that he drove just kept his ego fed.

To his friends he was king,
Cause he thought of everything
Except his number one.

She had the kids and the house,
While he was always out
Leaving his homework undone.

Poor Johnny,
He came home looking cool one day,
Just wasn't lucky to come out that way
Once from the left... then from the right
They took him down, late that night.

Then one day his luck ran out.
When number two found a number and called his house.
Word on the street is that they talked all night
They had to teach him a lesson,
They had to make things right.

Poor Johnny,
He came home looking cool one day,
Just wasn't lucky to come out that way
Once from the left... then from the right
They took him down, late that night.

Poor Johnny,
He came home looking cool one day,
Just wasn't lucky to come out that way
Once from the left... then from the right
They took him down, late that night.

Poor Johnny
Poor Johnny
Poor Johnny
Poor Johnny
Poor Johnny

 

[fox69]

"Porch Light"

"Porch Light"


Midnight
And her porchlight's on
The signal
That her man is gone
She'll open her back door wide
I'll slip down the alley, then slip inside

She's waiting
Just inside the door
In perfume
Probably nothing more
She'll greet me with her arms spread wide
Hit by the darkness, we'll fly, fly, fly

Standing here
I feel just like a criminal
Returning to the seen of the crime
Every time that we steal these loving hours
We promise that it will be the last time

Sneak out
Just before the dawn
Knowing that we've done her man wrong
He's out working while we're at plays
And my conscious hounds me
The whole long day
Mmmmm

Sun down
My blood starts to stir
All my thoughts go back to her
At midnight my guilt will ease
And I'll be watching her porchlight
Begging baby, please, please, please

Standing here
I feel just like a criminal
Returning to the seen of the crime, yeah, yeah, yeah
And every time that we steal these loving hours
When we're stealing, when we're stealing it
We promise that it will be the last time, yeah

 

[fox69]

"Renew Blues"

"Renew Blues"


[Intro]

Ahhh, one of these old days
And I swear ...

[Fade out]

 

[fox69]

"Right Next Door (Because Of Me)"

"Right Next Door (Because Of Me)"


I can hear the couple fighting right next door
Their angry words sound clear thru these thin walls
Around midnight I heard him shout unfaithful woman
And I knew right there the axe was gonna fall

It's because of me
It's because of me

I heard him shout who is he, she mumbled low
He said baby don't you lie to me no more
And I'm listening thru these thin walls, silent and shamed
As she called out my name I was right next door

It's because of me
It's because of me
Because of me
It's because of me

She was right next door and I'm such a strong persuader
That she was just another notch on my guitar
She's gonna lose the man that really loves her
In the silence I can hear their breaking hearts

At daybreak I hear him pack and say goodbye
I can hear him slam the door and walk away
Right next door I hear that woman start to cry
I should go to her but what would I say

It's because of me
It's because of me
Because of me
Young Bob

She was right next door and I'm such a strong persuader
Well she was just another notch on my guitar
She's gonna lose the man that really loves her
In the silence I can hear their breaking hearts
In the silence I can hear their breaking hearts

 

[fox69]

"Sadder Days"

"Sadder Days"


We talked yesterday
About us
Maybe we could save
What we lost
Didn't have to say
We were done
Have my sadder days
Just begun

I've had better days
Than this one
She just walked away
I'm all alone
Are there other ways
Show me one
Tell my sadder days
They're all gone
Tell my sadder days
They're all gone

Oh, how can they be
The most lonesome
Longest days of the week
Now, now I know
There won't be a tomorrow
Without you here

Oh, how can they be
The most lonesome
Longest days of the week
Oh, now I know
There won't be a tomorrow
Without you here

I've had better days
Than this one
She just walked away
I'm all alone
Are there other ways
Then show me one
Tell my sadder days
They're all gone
Tell my sadder days
They're all gone
Tell my sadder days
They're all gone

 

[fox69]

"Share What You've Got, Keep What You Need"

"Share What You've Got, Keep What You Need"


Mmmmmmm

I'd give a friend
My very last dime
And I'd leave my job to do a favor for 'ya
Any time, oh yes I would

But I won't share my baby
She's not part of a good deed
Share what you've got
Keep what you need

If you can't pay your rent
Ohh, you're welcome to stay with me
And you know that I'm your friend, man
Well, I want to be
Sure want to be

But hands off my baby
She's my own little flower seed, yeah
Share what you've got
Keep what you need

Mmmmm
I need my baby
Ohhhh, I can't let her go, no, no
Friend, don't you ask about my baby
All I can tell you is no
No, no, no, no, no

Share what you got
You've got to share what you've got
Mmmmm
But hands off my baby
No, no
You can have anything, but ohhh not my baby

Mmmmmm
No, no
No, no
No, no, no
Share what you've got
Ohhhh, and keep what you need