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."
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David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the woman I love so
And if I die between these sheets
I pray to God she'll never know
She's the best thing in this life
Why she worships the ground that he walks on
She waits up for him at night and worries
And she always believes his stories about working overtime
And in twenty years beside him, cheating's never crossed her mind
Aw but it crossed his
Early last summer
In a person of a neighbor that she still calls her friend
And with a little push from drinkin one too many one night in the fall
He gave in
And now he wishes he could stop himself
But theres no easy way
So he lays down with his lover
And silently he prays
Now I lay me down to cheat
On the woman I love so
And if I die between these sheets
I pray to God she'll never know
In his heart and soul
He knew that he was playing a game he could never win
But you know, forbidden fruit is sweet
Why it was sweet enough to make him risk it all again
And now he's giving up on looking for a way to fight the feeling
So he prays this simple pray
And hope it makes it past the hotel ceiling
Now I lay me down to cheat
On the woman I love so
And if I die between these sheets
I pray to God she'll never know
David Allan Coe's "Now I Lay Me Down To Cheat" is a poignant country ballad that tells the story of a man who has made the decision to cheat on the woman he loves. In the song, the man recognizes that his lover is the best thing in his life, but he still can't resist the temptation to cheat. He prays to God that she will never find out about his infidelity, as he lies in bed with his lover.
The song speaks to the complexity of human emotion and the internal struggle that can come with being unfaithful. The man acknowledges that he is playing a game he can never win, but he still can't resist the lure of the forbidden fruit. He recognizes that his actions are wrong and that he is betraying the woman he loves, but he is unable to stop himself. The lyrics are filled with sadness, regret, and desperation.
The final stanza of the song is particularly powerful, as the man admits defeat and gives up on trying to fight the feelings that have led him to cheat. He knows that he can't undo what he has done, and so he simply prays that his lover will never find out. The song is a heartbreaking reflection on the human condition, and the way that we can sometimes be consumed by our own weaknesses and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I lay me down to cheat
I'm about to cheat on my lover
On the woman I love so
The person I'm cheating on is the one I love the most
And if I die between these sheets
If I die while cheating, I hope she never finds out
I pray to God she'll never know
I hope she never discovers my infidelity
She's the best thing in this life
My lover is the most important thing to me
Why she worships the ground that he walks on
My lover is deeply devoted to me
She waits up for him at night and worries
My lover is always concerned about my safety
Until he's safely home
She only stops worrying when I'm back with her
And she always believes his stories about working overtime
She trusts me completely and never questions my excuses
And in twenty years beside him, cheating's never crossed her mind
I've never cheated before and she doesn't even consider that possibility
Aw, but it crossed his
However, I've been considering it
Early last summer
This urge started months ago
In a person of a neighbor that she still calls her friend
I'm cheating with one of her friends who lives nearby
And with a little push from drinkin one too many one night in the fall
One night, drinking too much, I gave in
He gave in
I finally cheated
And now he wishes he could stop himself
I regret it and wish I could take it back
But theres no easy way
However, I can't undo what I've done
So he lays down with his lover
I continue to see the person I cheated with
And silently he prays
I pray that I won't get caught
In his heart and soul
Deep down, he knows what he's doing is wrong
He knew that he was playing a game he could never win
He realizes that he's only making things worse
But you know, forbidden fruit is sweet
But the thrill of the affair is too hard to resist
Why it was sweet enough to make him risk it all again
Memories of how sweet the affair was make him want to risk cheating again
And now he's giving up on looking for a way to fight the feeling
He's given up on trying to resist the temptation of cheating
So he prays this simple pray
So he prays this simple prayer
And hope it makes it past the hotel ceiling
And hopes that God will listen and protect him from getting caught
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Billy Henderson, Walt Aldridge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@santiagolago9989
Playlist - song title (minute that starts)
00:00 - N* Fucker (sorry i wanna keep my job)
02:25 - Whips and Things
06:24 - Cum Stains on the Pillow
09:42 - Pussy Whipped Again
13:12 - Linda Lovelace Gag
16:30 - Little Susie Shallow Throat
19:30 - Pick 'em, Lick 'em, Stick 'em
22:17 - Masturbation Blues
26:03 - Rock 'n' Roll Fever
29:05 - Don't Bite the Dick
31:25 - Jimmy Buffet
35:15 - Lay Me Down Some Rails
37:27 - Fuckin' in the Butt
39:40 - One Monkey Don't Stop No Show
42:50 - Coffee
48:16 - Ain't There Nothin' Sacred No More
52:08 - Panheads Forever
55:10 - Three Biggest Lies
@tomeubernat9270
Still listening it on 2024
@raakmore4443
F in legend ol son he's the man not the myth
@drewshafer2791
Same here bro
@donaldduck476
@@raakmore4443hes the fuckin legend what you talkin bout. Coe>>>>>>
@dylonpress7034
22 listened to him my whole life. 1st song is the best😂
@bernhardsteinnagel9792
So do I... in germany
@RobertJ890
Finally some good Christian tunes to share with my church friends
@Dissenter722
The Evangelicals love "Ain't There Nothing Sacred No More"
@Black_Patriot-Veteran-1970
LMAO 😅🤣😂🤣😅😆
@jerryjester4959
The NAACP is crazy about the first song💯👍🏻