Coe's rebellious attitude, wild image, and unconventional lifestyle set him apart from other country performers, both winning him legions of fans and hindering his mainstream success by alienating the music industry establishment. Coe continues to be a popular performer on the country circuit.
Coe was born in Akron, Ohio. His favorite singer as a child was Johnny Cash. After being sent to the Starr Commonwealth For Boys reform school at the age of nine, he spent much of the next 20 years in correctional facilities, including three years at the Ohio Penitentiary. Coe claimed he received encouragement to begin writing songs from Screamin' Jay Hawkins, with whom he had spent time in prison.
After concluding another prison term in 1967, Coe embarked on a music career in Nashville, living in a hearse which he parked in front of the Ryman Auditorium while he performed on the street. He caught the attention of Shelby Singleton, owner of the independent record label Plantation Records and signed a contract with his label.
He is the father of Tyler Mahan Coe, who created the country music podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones. He has a daughter, Shelli Coe Mackie, and is father-in-law to the late Michael Mackie, formerly of Texas band 'Thunderosa'.
Coe's musical style derives from blues, rock, and country music traditions. His vocal style is described as a 'throaty baritone'. His lyrical content is often humorous or comedic, with William Ruhlmann describing him as a 'near-parody of a country singer'. Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes Coe as "a great, unashamed country singer, singing the purest honky-tonk and hardest country of his era […] he may not be the most original outlaw, but there is none more outlaw than him".
Coe's lyrics frequently include references to alcohol and drug use, and are often boisterous and cocky. Coe's debut album Penitentiary Blues was described as "voodoo blues" and "redneck music" by Allmusic's Thom Jurek. It focused on themes such as working for the first time, blood tests from veins used to inject heroin, prison time, hoodoo imagery, and death. The album's influences included Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Tony Joe White. Coe later explained to Kristofer Engelhardt of Review: "I didn't really care for some of the country music until people like Kris Kristofferson and some of those people started writing songs. They had a little more to say than just, 'Oh baby I miss you', or whatever. I don't do anything halfway. Once I got into country music, I went back and researched it, and learned everything there was to know about it. I could do impersonations of Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, Marty Robbins, just about anybody. I knew just about all there was to know about country music."
Coe's first country album, The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy, has been described as alt-country, 'pre-punk' and "a hillbilly version of Marc Bolan's glitz and glitter". Credited influences on the album include Merle Haggard. In his early career, Coe was known for his unpredictable live performances, in which he would ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle onto the stage and curse at his audience. Coe has also performed in a rhinestone suit and a mask which resembled that of the Lone Ranger, calling himself the 'Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy'.
The album Rebel Meets Rebel featured a song, "Cherokee Cry", which criticizes the United States government's treatment of Native Americans. When asked why he did not write more political songs, Coe replied, "I live in my own world, not thee world. I just write songs about what affects me in everyday life. At one point I wrote a song that was sort of a protest about when they were talking about drafting women into the military. It was about my son making it past the draft, but my daughter didn't. And I've done Farm Aid."
In his review of Coe's 1987 album A Matter of Life...and Death, Allmusic's Thom Jurek wrote, "Coe may have had some hits, but it is records like this that make one wonder if there was not a conspiracy to marginalize him and make him fail. Coe is a brilliant songwriter well into the 21st century, and deserves to be lauded along with the likes of [Willie] Nelson and [Waylon] Jennings and Kristofferson and Newbury – and even Cash."
Cowboy
David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the only life I'll ever know
I started in New Mexico
Must have been a thousand years ago
I used to be the best they say
At riding young wild horses for my pay
But now I'm much too old it seems
I only rides wild horses in his dreams
They use to tell me, ride 'em cowboy don't let 'em throw you down
You can't make no money if you hit the ground
They say, ride 'em cowboy don't let 'em throw you down
You're the toughest cowboy in town
I have always been a traveling cowboy
But now there's no place left to go
What in I supposed to do
Seems I'm left out in the cold
Ride 'em cowboy don't let 'em throw you down
You can't make no money if you hit the ground
They say, ride 'em cowboy don't let 'em throw you down
You're the toughest cowboy in town
Oh midnight was the champion
He is the only bronc I couldn't ride
But now I hear old Midnights blind
And rides little children for a dime
Ladies used to hang around
I must have been a hero in their eyes
My silver spurs are rusted now
Lord, I wished I tried to settle down
They use to tell me, ride 'em cowboy don't let 'em throw you down
You can't make no money if you hit the ground
They say, ride 'em cowboy don't let 'em throw you down
You're the toughest cowboy in town
Traveling with the rodeo
It's the only life I'll ever know
The lyrics to David Allan Coe's "Ride 'Em Cowboy" tell the story of an aging cowboy who has spent his entire life traveling with the rodeo circuit. He started out riding young wild horses for his pay in New Mexico, where he was considered one of the best cowboy riders. However, as he's grown older, he can only ride wild horses in his dreams. The song captures the feelings of a man who has spent his entire life on the road and is starting to feel like he doesn't have a place to call home.
The cowboy in the song reflects on his past glory and how he used to be considered the toughest cowboy in town. He was warned that he couldn't make any money if he hit the ground, so he worked tirelessly to perfect his craft. However, he is now faced with the reality that he can't continue to do this forever. He has grown too old to keep up with the younger riders, and his silver spurs have rusted. The song ends with the cowboy acknowledging that traveling with the rodeo is the only life he'll ever know, but he is left uncertain about what he is supposed to do now that his glory days are over.
Line by Line Meaning
Traveling with the rodeo
My life is all about moving from place to place with the rodeo
It's the only life I'll ever know
Being a rodeo cowboy defines my whole existence
I started in New Mexico
I began my rodeo career in New Mexico
Must have been a thousand years ago
It feels like I've been a rodeo cowboy forever
I used to be the best they say
People used to consider me the top rider in the game
At riding young wild horses for my pay
I used to make my living by riding untamed horses
But now I'm much too old it seems
I've grown older and can't ride at the same level anymore
I only rides wild horses in his dreams
Nowadays, I can only ride wild horses in my dreams
They use to tell me, ride 'em cowboy don't let 'em throw you down
People used to give me advice to stay on the horse and not be thrown off
You can't make no money if you hit the ground
If I get thrown off the horse, I won't make any money
You're the toughest cowboy in town
People considered me to be the most rugged cowboy around
I have always been a traveling cowboy
I've never had a fixed place to call home, always traveling with the rodeo
But now there's no place left to go
I don't know where to go next, there's nowhere left for me to travel
What in I supposed to do
I'm at a loss as to what I should do next
Seems I'm left out in the cold
I feel abandoned with nowhere to go and nothing to do
Oh midnight was the champion
Midnight was the most prominent bronc I ever rode
He is the only bronc I couldn't ride
Midnight was the only horse I wasn't able to stay on
But now I hear old Midnights blind
I've heard Midnight is now blind and unable to compete
And rides little children for a dime
Midnight is now reduced to giving rides to children for very little money
Ladies used to hang around
Women used to be attracted to me because of my skill and status as a cowboy
I must have been a hero in their eyes
Women must have seen me as a hero for my cowboy accomplishments
My silver spurs are rusted now
My prized silver spurs have tarnished and lost their luster with time
Lord, I wished I tried to settle down
I regret not having tried to settle down and create a more stable life for myself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dr. Craphead
on Damn I Wish I Was a Nigger
The song is not by David Allan Coe
Niggerhatingme
on Nigger Hatin Me
I like sugar and I like tea
But I don't like niggers, no sir-e
There are two lone things that'll make me puke
That's a hog eating slop and a big black spook
You know it, 'cuz I show it
Like a barnyard rooster I crow it
And the NAACP would sure like to get
A hold of nigger hatin' me.
Roses are red and violets are blue
Niggers are black and you know that's true
But they don't mind 'cuz what the heck
You gotta' be black to get a welfare check.
.And I'm broke, no joke. I ain't got a nickle
For a coat and I ain't black you see, so Uncle
Sam won't help poor nigger hatin' me.
Jigga-boo Jigga-boo where are you? I was
Here on the woodpile watching you. Jigga-boo
Jigga-boo come outdoors. No! I'sa scared of the
White man way down south.
You know it, 'cuz I show it. Stick your black
Head out and I blow it and the NAACP can't keep
You away from 'lil 'ol nigger hatin' me.
Mirror mirror on the wall who is the blackest
Of them all? A man named King it ain't no doubt
And he's causin' lots of trouble with his baboon
Mouth. Oh no it's he's a done it, caused by the
Trouble he's a brewin' and the NAACP can't win if
The white man stick with nigger hatin' me.
Hey Mr. President what'd ya say? When are we
Whites gonna have our day? The niggers've had
Theirs for such a long long time. I'm a white
And it's time that I had mine.
You know it, 'cuz I show it. Stick your black head
Out and I blow it and the NAACP can't win if the
White man stick with nigger hatin' me.
Nigger hatin me'
Nigger hatin me'
Nigger hatin me'
Nigger hatin me'
All true, how's the death count in chimpcago? https://heyjackass.com/
Ben - Moderator
on Nigger hatin me
Meaning of this line above has now been corrected
Matt
on Nigger hatin me
Who ever did the meaning lines is funny... woodpile is a real term, and when it says jig aboo come out doors, he imitates a poor sounding guy saying he's afraid of the racist whites from the south cuz if they even show themselves in public, they were a target. This is a bad song about the unspoken truth
cemegonuts
on You piss me off...you fuckin' jerk
This is not David Allen Coe. It is a song written by Gaye Delorme and performed by Garry Lee and Showdown.
Teresa Warnke
on Pick Em, Lick Em, Stick Em
Are there any decent constitutional lawyers in the house?
Mr. Coe has been barred from performing in most public forums.
He is one the last surviving Outlaws of country music. Although, Nigger Fucker has racist theme, Mr. Coe was defended by his life long friend, Charlie Pride, who inspired the song, all of his days. They were close friends until the end.
David Allen COE is elderly and we don't have long to have an opportunity to see him perform. What is more is that he deserves to use his constitutional right to free speech.
Some would like to have this song and many more that feel are offensive removed from existence. I am not a racist and recognize the foulness of the song, but, I am mature enough to turn off music or any other media that I don't like.
Personally, the Brian Adam's song, "Rum to You", makes me sick, as does Reba Macy tyre's, "Fancy" and "Whoever's in New England".
Ms. Macy tires songs if a mother pimping out her daughter and an abandoned housewife faithfully waiting for her man to return from fucking his mistress hurts women. The Brian Adam's song also hurts women. I do not for a minute believe that this music should never be heard again. It does provide opportunity to discuss these things with younger people.
I am going to delete my YouTube music account because they removed DAC for it's content. I did have much respect for YouTube for it's American spirit and patriotism even though the way they pay their talent is nonsensical. One deletion is a demonstration of what will follow. Eventually this could lead to less freedoms for all of us.
Please don't fall into the currant popular victim trend. Turn off music you don't like and get on with your day.
Or stand up to censorship of the arts.
Thank You,
Teresa Warnke
Rodan
on Cum Stains on the Pillow
Dribble it on her nose!
11inthemoney
on Itty Bitty Titty
Young sex is the best
11inthemoney
on Itty Bitty Titty
Shucks it's cool.
Rodan
on Cum Stains on the Pillow
Another AWESOME DAC song that makes me bellylaugh!!!