Billy first became known to fans in the early 1990s with his appearance on "Star Search." He later earned a recording contract with Liberty Records and rose to national stardom with a string of Top 10 hits on Billboard magazine's country singles chart. His debut song, 1991's "Only Here For a Little While," rose into the Top 5, while the follow up, "Somewhere in My Broken Heart," repeated the feat. "Somewhere in My Broken Heart" won the 1992 Academy of Country Music award for Song of the Year; he also took home the ACM's New Male Vocalist award..
Dean's string of hits continued in the early- and mid-1990s, with songs like "You Don't Count the Cost" (1991); "Only the Wind," "Billy the Kid" and "If There Hadn't Been You" (all 1992); "Tryin' to Hide a Fire in the Dark" (1993); "We Just Disagree" (a remake of the 1970s Dave Mason hit) (1993); "It's What I Do" and "That Girl's Been Spying on Me" (both 1996).
In 1991 Dean wrote and sang the theme song to the ABC animated television series Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa. It is titled "Up on the Mesa".
During the late 1990s, his career slowed down a bit, although he made several television appearances, including "One Life to Live" and "Wings." He and Alison Krauss sang backup on Kenny Rogers' 2000 single "Buy Me a Rose". At the time, the song made Kenny the oldest artist to score a country #1; it also marked the only time that Dean reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
In 2004, Dean was signed to Asylum Curb, where he began a comeback with the single "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" (a remake of John Denver's classic). In early 2005, he released the album Let Them Be Little, which featured both "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and the title track. "Let Them Be Little" was co-written by Richie McDonald, who at the time was the lead singer of Lonestar; Lonestar also recorded the song on their 2005 album Let's Be Us Again. Dean's version of the song became his first Top Ten hit on the country charts in nearly nine years.
Billy The Kid
Billy Dean Lyrics
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Two Colt .45's with white plastic grips
And I'd head west through our neighborhood
And they'd say 'Here comes young Billy
And he's up to no good'... yeah
I rode a trail through the neighbor's back yard
Shooting the bad guys through my handlebars
Being late for supper was my only fear
I miss Billy The Kid
The times that he had
The life that he lived
I guess he must've got caught
His innocence lost
I wonder where he is
I miss Billy The Kid
These days I don't know whose side to be on
There's such a thin line between right and wrong
I live and learn, do the best I can
There's only so much you can do as a man
I miss Billy The Kid
The times that he had
The life that he lived
I guess he must've got caught
His innocence lost
Lord, I wonder where he is
I miss Billy The Kid
I miss Billy The Kid
The times that he had
The life that he lived
I guess he must've got caught
His innocence lost
Lord, I wonder where he is
I miss Billy The Kid
The lyrics of Billy Dean's song "Billy The Kid" depict a nostalgia for the days of youth and innocence, capturing the sense of adventure and excitement that a young child can feel while exploring their neighborhood. The singer reminisces about the days when he would don his holster and Colt .45s and ride his bike through his neighborhood, through the neighbor's backyard, and engage in imagined battles with "bad guys." The lyrics imbue the singer with a sense of bravery and rebellion, as he is seen as someone who is "up to no good" by his neighbors. However, as the song progresses, the tone shifts to one of reflection and uncertainty. The singer admits that he no longer knows whose side he should be on and that there is a thin line between right and wrong. He tries to do the best he can but recognizes that there is only so much one can do as a man. The final refrain, "I miss Billy The Kid," seems to suggest that the singer longs for the simplicity and excitement of his childhood days, in which the world was black and white, and good and evil were clearly defined, whereas now everything seems more ambiguous.
The song's lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and wistfulness for childhood, exploring themes of innocence, bravery, and the passage of time. The song is a tribute to the character "Billy The Kid," who is a symbol for the sense of adventure, excitement, and freedom of youth. The song acknowledges the loss of innocence that comes with growing up, and the ambiguity and uncertainty that define adulthood. Despite the melancholic tone of the lyrics, the song also celebrates the spirit of adventure and optimism that characterizes childhood.
Line by Line Meaning
Strapped on my holster low across my hips
I had my holster securely fastened around my waist, positioning it low so that both of my Colt .45's with white plastic grips were within easy reach
Two Colt .45's with white plastic grips
I had two Colt .45's with white plastic grips, which were my weapons of choice
And I'd head west through our neighborhood
I would set out towards the west, passing through our neighborhood
And they'd say 'Here comes young Billy
People would see me and say, 'Here comes young Billy'
And he's up to no good'... yeah
They would assume that I was up to something mischievous or unlawful
I rode a trail through the neighbor's back yard
I rode along a trail that passed through the back yard of my neighbors
Shooting the bad guys through my handlebars
While riding my bike, I would pretend to shoot at imaginary 'bad guys' by pointing my handguns through the handlebars
Known for my bravery both far and near
I was known for being brave in both nearby and far-off imagined situations
Being late for supper was my only fear
My biggest fear was being late for dinner with my family
These days I don't know whose side to be on
Nowadays, I find it difficult to determine which side or position to take in certain situations
There's such a thin line between right and wrong
There is a very narrow line that separates what is right from what is wrong, making it difficult to distinguish between the two
I live and learn, do the best I can
I try my best to learn from experiences and make the most of it
There's only so much you can do as a man
As a man, there are limits to what you can do and achieve
I miss Billy The Kid
I miss the innocent, carefree times when I used to pretend to be Billy The Kid
The times that he had
I miss the fun and adventure that I used to imagine as Billy The Kid would have experienced
The life that he lived
I miss the imaginary life that Billy The Kid seemed to live in my mind
I guess he must've got caught
I assume that something must have happened and Billy The Kid was no longer able to live that carefree lifestyle
His innocence lost
The loss of Billy's innocence, due to certain conditions or circumstances, left a void in my mind
Lord, I wonder where he is
I wonder where Billy The Kid would be today, or what he would look like and feel like
I miss Billy The Kid
Overall, I miss thinking about the carefree and imaginative life of Billy The Kid
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY JOEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertburk5550
My name's Robert and as a kid I wrote him a letter and asked for his autograph, he sent me a life sized poster, a picture, all autographed, even a tape of his music.
That meant the world to me as a kid, still makes me cry to this day he took the time to do so much for me.
I'm 40 now.
@hpgarage9884
I met him and ricky scaggs at concert when I was little. He was nice. We talked to him next to Billy's tour bus.
@dbergum1
wow....
@ThorneJr
i'm 56. i feel sorry that the generations to come will never know that innocence. We never locked our doors back then and yes it was on my bike on a gravel road.
@markg999
The 90s were an amazing decade for music...all the genres were pumping out some classics.
@bill2178
as i dig into it i appreciate the older music 70s and 60s the byrds beatles and badfinger
@Black_Daniels679
Underrated comment right here
@robertschreiber8099
So true, Mark G. The music was the best thing about the mid '80's, through the early 2000's. There was a lot more heart, and soul, in it. I see a lot more of that, here, than I hear in the airwaves.
@joes4990
@@Black_Daniels679 so true. the ninety's sucked for music.
@markg999
@@bill2178 Badfinger for sure...got into them seeing Baby Blue on end of Breaking Bad. Very solid band from the 70s.