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."
Crazy mary
David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lives next door to the cemetery
How many lovers have you buried
We would shout running scared
Along the green and golden paths
That took us home away from Crazy Mary
In the lamplight burning low
She rocks beside the fire
That was never lit and as we ran on by
Pretending to be frightened
We'd shout and laugh at Crazy Mary
She would never answer us
Smiled through the window softly
Wild eyed and wild haired but we were sure
That in the dark of night
She cursed us soundly casting spells
And such to run us into donkeys
Crazy Mary from Londonderry...
So it seems that older now
We stand upon this wind swept moor
The lonely grave before us testifies
That Crazy Mary sings and dreams
Her dreams somewhere but not
Where little kids can follow after
And on the stone these words dear friend
Please write me down as one who loved
The raven haired and laughing lads
That swore that they would marry me
And soon their sons came running by
And here I lie forgotten Crazy Mary
Crazy Mary from Londonderry...
The opening lyrics of David Allan Coe’s ‘Crazy Mary’ describe an enigmatic and mysterious character, Mary, who lives next door to a cemetery. The lyrics ask how many lovers Mary has buried, emphasizing the eerie nature of this strange woman. The fear and unease associated with Mary is heightened by the youthful, joyful depiction of the singer and his friends, who would run and shout along the green and golden paths that led them home away from Crazy Mary.
The second stanza of the song builds on this sense of fear, describing Mary rocking beside a fire that was never lit, and the singer and his friends mockingly pretending to be frightened as they shout and laugh at her. The lyrics effectively contrast the innocence and youthfulness of the singer and his friends with the fear and mystery that surrounds Crazy Mary, creating an eerie and foreboding atmosphere. The final stanza provides a poignant ending to the song, as the singer reflects on the passing of time, and the lonely grave of Crazy Mary that testifies to the fact that she sings and dreams somewhere, but not where little kids can follow after. The listener is left with a sense of sadness and nostalgia, as well as a chilling reminder of the mysterious and unsettling nature of Crazy Mary.
Line by Line Meaning
Crazy Mary from Londonderry
Introducing Crazy Mary from Londonderry
Lives next door to the cemetery
Crazy Mary's residence is next door to the cemetery
How many lovers have you buried
Wondering how many of her lovers she might've buried
We would shout running scared
Shouting in fear while running
Along the green and golden paths
The path leading to their area was green and golden
That took us home away from Crazy Mary
The path helped them get away from Crazy Mary's place
In the lamplight burning low
The light from the lamp was dim and low
Dimly through enchanted woods
There were woods that felt magical and mystical
She rocks beside the fire
Crazy Mary was sitting by the unlit fire
That was never lit and as we ran on by
The fire had never been lit and we ran past it
Pretending to be frightened
Pretending to be scared of Crazy Mary
We'd shout and laugh at Crazy Mary
Shouting and laughing at Crazy Mary as they ran past her
She would never answer us
Crazy Mary never answered our shouts
Smiled through the window softly
Crazy Mary just smiled softly at them from the window
Wild eyed and wild haired but we were sure
Although Crazy Mary had wild eyes and hair, they were sure of something
That in the dark of night
Thinking that at night
She cursed us soundly casting spells
Crazy Mary supposedly cursed and cast spells on them
And such to run us into donkeys
To turn them into donkeys, which they found terrifying
So it seems that older now
The singer is now older and looking back
We stand upon this wind swept moor
They are at a windy moor or hilltop now
The lonely grave before us testifies
The grave in front of them symbolizes something
That Crazy Mary sings and dreams
Crazy Mary sings and dreams, even after death
Her dreams somewhere but not
Her dreams are somewhere else now but not where kids could follow
Where little kids can follow after
Little kids cannot follow her dreams
And on the stone these words dear friend
There are words inscribed on the stone for them to read
Please write me down as one who loved
Crazy Mary wants to be remembered as someone who loved
The raven haired and laughing lads
She loved the young men with dark hair who laughed
That swore that they would marry me
The young men claimed they would marry her
And soon their sons came running by
Their sons came along very soon
And here I lie forgotten Crazy Mary
Now she lies forgotten, still Crazy Mary from Londonderry
Crazy Mary from Londonderry...
Ending the song identifying once again: Crazy Mary from Londonderry
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRODERICK SMITH, MATTHEW DONALD WALKER
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!!!