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."
Jody Like A Melody
David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Till the thought of you is more than I can stand
Just to think of having you is music to my soul
You make me feel as though the world is in my hands
Jody like a melody
You warm me and then leave me with a chill
I can't believe the sun will rise
And knowing that your love has made me strong
Why you left I'll never know
The fire you built will always glow
I only know I woke to find you gone
Jody like a melody
You warm me and then leave me with a chill, oh, ooh
Jody, I can't keep my thoughts about me in the daytime
When your memory is enough to make me blind
And late at night I lie awake
And wait for you to come and when you don't
You know I almost lose my mind
Jody like a melody
You warm me and then leave me with a chill
Jody like a melody
Jody like a melody (Jody like a melody)
Jody like a melody (Jody like a melody)
Jody like a melody (Jody like a melody)
Jody like a melody
in this song is presented as a recurring memory that the singer cannot escape. The tune of Jody's melody is stuck in his head and he cannot stop thinking about her. The thought of Jody is so strong that it overpowers the singer's senses - it creates a feeling of warmth and strength but leaves him cold and empty when she's gone. The singer compares the feeling of Jody's presence to that of music, with her love making him feel like he can conquer the world.
However, the chorus also reveals that Jody's love is bittersweet. She warms the singer's heart but also leaves a chill behind. He can't keep his thoughts straight during the day and loses his mind when he can't have her at night. It is also hinted at that Jody has left the singer without any explanation, making him wonder why she left and what will become of their passion.
The song overall portrays a deep and complex love that has both positive and negative effects on the singer's life. Jody is both the melody that the singer can't get out of his head and the person that he can't have, which creates a longing and bittersweet feeling that's relatable to many.
Line by Line Meaning
Jody like a melody play inside my head
The thought of Jody is constantly on my mind, like a song that won't stop playing.
Till the thought of you is more than I can stand
The constant thought of Jody becomes overwhelming to the point where I can't take it anymore.
Just to think of having you is music to my soul
The idea of being with Jody brings me great joy and fills my soul with happiness.
You make me feel as though the world is in my hands
Jody gives me a sense of power and control, as if I can conquer anything.
You warm me and then leave me with a chill
Jody's presence can make me feel warm and happy, but when she leaves, I feel cold and empty.
I can't believe the sun will rise without me looking in your eyes
The thought of not seeing Jody is so unbearable that I can't even imagine the sun rising without seeing her first.
And knowing that your love has made me strong
Jody's love has given me strength and made me a stronger person.
Why you left I'll never know
I am confused and hurt by Jody leaving me and may never understand why she did it.
The fire you built will always glow
Even though Jody is gone, the love and passion we shared will never fade.
I only know I woke to find you gone
I woke up to find that Jody had left and I was alone.
Jody, I can't keep my thoughts about me in the daytime
I am constantly distracted by thoughts of Jody during the day and can't focus on anything else.
When your memory is enough to make me blind
The memories of Jody are so powerful that they overwhelm my senses to the point of being blinded.
And late at night I lie awake and wait for you to come
At night, I am filled with longing for Jody and can't sleep, hoping that she will return to me.
And when you don't you know I almost lose my mind
When Jody doesn't come back, I become desperate and may lose my sanity.
Jody like a melody
Jody's presence in my life is like a beautiful, unforgettable song.
You warm me and then leave me with a chill, oh, ooh
Jody brings me warmth and happiness, but when she leaves, I am left feeling cold and empty once again.
Jody like a melody (Jody like a melody)
Jody is a constant presence in my life, like a beloved melody that plays over and over again.
Jody like a melody (Jody like a melody)
Jody's impact on my life is so great that it is like a never-ending melody.
Jody like a melody (Jody like a melody)
Jody's love and memory will always be a part of me, like a beautiful melody that I can't help but sing along to.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: David Allan Coe, Jimmy Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ceridwenscauldron
Such an exquisite and woefully underrated song. Takes my breath away every time. Thank you for the upload.
@redshaftedflicker
Easily one of the greatest yet highly misunderstood artists country or otherwise around. His contribution to music is way up there. I love this album like a brother.
@justinmajors2872
I listen every night before bed
@kcpauz
Thank you cnk, my love.
@chenellesimonetta1784
I'll love DAC till the day I die
@marvinbeasley6346
Dixie n coe forever !
@allywilkeforsenate
Jodie’s are awesome.!❤️💓🎈💖💕💞❤️🔥
@user-kk7nr1jk3k
So he never found her?