In 1969, Ray Benson and Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) co-founded Asleep at the Wheel in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and soon after they found themselves opening for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in Washington, DC.[1] A year later, they moved to East Oakland, California at the invitation of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. After being mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine by Van Morrison, they landed a record deal with United Artists. In 1973, their debut album, Comin' Right At Ya was released by United Artists. At the request of Willie Nelson, they left Oakland for Austin in 1974.
Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been presented numerous awards throughout their career. Most recently, the 16th Annual Midsouth Regional Emmy Award for the making of "A Ride With Bob", recognition by Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin, Texas, and the Darrel K. Royal Music Patron Award by The Texas Heritage Songwriters' Association. In 2007, The Austin Chronicle recognized Asleep at the Wheel for Band of the Year, Best Country Band, and into their Hall of Fame. Benson was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2002, was given The Texas Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, and recognized as an Outstanding Producer by the National Academy of Recording Arts in 1988. He has also been given numerous Citations of Achievement by Broadcast Music, Inc. for his work in the country music field. Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been one of the strongest names in Country Music for the last forty years.
I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
Asleep At The Wheel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had lot's of luck but it's all been bad
No matter how I struggle and strive
I'll never get out of this world alive.
My fishin' pole's broke the creek is full of sand
My woman run away with another man
No matter how I struggle and strive
A distant uncle passed away and left me quite a batch
And I was livin' high until that fatal day
A lawyer proved I wasn't born
I was only hatched.
Ev'rything's agin' me and it's got me down
If I jumped in the river I would prob'ly drown
No matter how I struggle and strive
I'll never get out of this world alive.
These shabby shoes I'm wearin' all the time
Are full of holes and nails
And brother if I stepped on a worn out dime
I bet a nickel I could tell you if it was heads or tails.
I'm not gonna worry wrinkles in my brow
'Cause nothin's ever gonna be alright nohow
No matter how I struggle and strive
I'll never get out of this world alive.
The song "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive" by Asleep At The Wheel, despite its dark and morbid message, has a playful and ironic tone that is central to its interpretation. The lyrics showcase a man who has lost everything, from his broken fishing pole and deserted wife to the discovery that he wasn't even born but hatched. Despite his struggles, the man mocks his own futility, resigned to the fact that life is not meant to be taken too seriously. The line "I bet a nickel I could tell you if it was heads or tails" epitomizes this sentiment by illustrating that even the smallest things in life can be predicted with certainty, thus underscoring the man's acceptance of his fate.
The message of the song is that life is an unpredictable journey that is often full of disappointment and setbacks. No matter how much we try, sometimes we just cannot escape this world alive. The song demonstrates an acceptance of this fact and an appreciation of the ironic humor that is inherent in life's pathos. In conclusion, "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive" is a portrayal of a fatalistic and ironic perspective on living.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you're lookin' at a man that's gettin' kind-a mad
I'm frustrated and angry with my situation
I had lot's of luck but it's all been bad
I've had a lot of unfortunate circumstances happen lately
No matter how I struggle and strive
Despite all the effort I put in
I'll never get out of this world alive.
I'll never be able to escape my current struggles
My fishin' pole's broke the creek is full of sand
Even my leisure activities are ruined
My woman run away with another man
I've lost the love of my life to someone else
A distant uncle passed away and left me quite a batch
I thought I had inherited wealth, but it turned out to be fake
And I was livin' high until that fatal day
I was happy and well-off until I found out the truth
A lawyer proved I wasn't born
I discovered that the truth about my background was even worse than I thought
I was only hatched.
I'm not who I thought I was; my identity is in question
Ev'rything's agin' me and it's got me down
Everything in my life is going wrong and it's bringing me down
If I jumped in the river I would prob'ly drown
I feel like I can't even survive basic challenges
These shabby shoes I'm wearin' all the time
I can't even afford decent shoes
Are full of holes and nails
My shoes are completely worn out
And brother if I stepped on a worn out dime
I'm so poor that I can tell which side of a coin is up just by stepping on it
I bet a nickel I could tell you if it was heads or tails.
That's how bad my financial situation is
I'm not gonna worry wrinkles in my brow
I refuse to let all these problems stress me out
'Cause nothin's ever gonna be alright nohow
I don't see any hope for things to get better
No matter how I struggle and strive
Even if I keep trying my best
I'll never get out of this world alive.
I'll never be able to overcome these challenges and find happiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Fred Rose, Hank Williams Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
The issue with search on Firefox is now resolved.
Ben - Moderator
Sorry about that Eddie - we will resolve this very soon. In the meantime you should still be able to paste a search into the search box. I'll update you here.
Eddie
With the new setup my firefox browser will not allow typing in the search area.