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."
Loving Her
David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
SHE'S EVERYTHING YOU LOOK FOR IN THAT KIND OF WOMAN
SHELL DRINK WHISKEY AND DANCE TILL THE CHAMPAGNES ALL GONE
SHELL BE RIGHT THERE WHEN THE AIR FROM THE OCEAN IS CALLING
BUT TOUCHING HER MIGHT MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR BLUES TONIGHT
HOLDING HER MIGHT STOP THE PAIN IN TIME
KISSING HER MIGHT TAKE AWAY THE LONELINESS YOU FELL
BUT LOVING HER WILL MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR MIND
JUST LIKE THE MOON AND THE STARS SHELL BE GONE IN THE MORNING
LEAVING YOU EMPTY AND DRAINED, LIKE THE TIDE YOU'LL BE LOW
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO TAKE THAT WILL MAKE IT ALL BETTER
YOU'LL TRY TO BUY HER WITH PRESENTS , BUT SAILOR I KNOW.
David Allan Coe's song, Loving Her, is a powerful ballad that deals with themes of love and loss. The song starts with Coe describing the kind of woman that the singer is interested in. She is someone who enjoys a good time, will drink whiskey and dance till the champagne's gone. She's the kind of girl who won't shy away from adventure and will be there with you even when the ocean calls out to you. However, Coe warns that something is wrong, and the sailor should be aware.
The chorus of Loving Her is where Coe explores the power this woman has on the singer's mind and emotions. He advises the sailor that touching her might help him lose his blues, but loving her will make him lose his mind. The emotions are intense, and Coe's raw voice adds to the intensity of the song. The song's finale is equally potent, with Coe singing about how the woman, just like the moon and stars, will be gone in the morning, leaving the sailor empty and drained.
Overall, Loving Her is a beautifully crafted ballad that shows Coe's mastery over storytelling. He creates a vivid picture of the singer's emotional state as he falls for this woman and then loses her. Coe's ability to capture these emotions so perfectly is what makes him such a beloved artist.
Line by Line Meaning
SHE'S EVERYTHING YOU LOOK FOR IN THAT KIND OF WOMAN
She has all the qualities that fit into your ideal woman.
SHELL DRINK WHISKEY AND DANCE TILL THE CHAMPAGNES ALL GONE
She enjoys drinking whiskey and dancing until all the champagne is consumed.
SHELL BE RIGHT THERE WHEN THE AIR FROM THE OCEAN IS CALLING
She'll be with you when the ocean's breeze is whispering.
TELLING YOU, SAILOR BEWARE! SOMETHING IS WRONG!
The breeze sounds a warning, telling you that something is not right.
BUT TOUCHING HER MIGHT MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR BLUES TONIGHT
Holding her might make you forget your sadness for tonight.
HOLDING HER MIGHT STOP THE PAIN IN TIME
Hugging her might heal your pain over time.
KISSING HER MIGHT TAKE AWAY THE LONELINESS YOU FELL
Kissing her might help you forget the loneliness you feel.
BUT LOVING HER WILL MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR MIND
But loving her will make you go crazy.
JUST LIKE THE MOON AND THE STARS SHELL BE GONE IN THE MORNING
Just like the moon and the stars, she will be gone in the morning.
LEAVING YOU EMPTY AND DRAINED, LIKE THE TIDE YOU'LL BE LOW
She'll leave you feeling empty and drained, like the tide making you feel low.
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO TAKE THAT WILL MAKE IT ALL BETTER
You'll search for something that will make everything better.
YOU'LL TRY TO BUY HER WITH PRESENTS , BUT SAILOR I KNOW.
You might try to win her over with gifts, but I know that won't work.
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: DAVID ALLAN Coe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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