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."
My Girl
David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I've got so much honey the bees envy me
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Ooh
I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
With my girl
I've even got the month of May
With my girl
David Allan Coe's song "My Girl" speaks of the love and happiness that one experiences when they have found the right person to share their life with. The song is a tribute to the person who brings so much joy into his life that he feels like he has everything he needs. With lyrics like "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day" and "I don't need no money, fortune, or fame, I've got all the riches baby one man can claim," Coe expresses how much his girl means to him.
The opening lines of the song are particularly powerful, as they establish the theme of the song so clearly. The words "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day" suggest that even when things are grey and difficult, the singer's mood is lifted by his girl. Similarly, the lyrics "When it's cold outside I've got the month of May" describe the warmth and happiness that his girl brings to his life. These lyrics also suggest that the singer is not just grateful for his girl's presence, but that he is in awe of the impact she can have on his life.
Overall, "My Girl" is a beautiful song about the transformative power of love. It speaks to the way that a single person can change our lives for the better, and how finding that person can make us feel complete.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
Even on dark days, I am happy and content, thanks to my girl.
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
Even in the coldest months, I feel warmth and joy because of my girl.
I guess you'd say
I suppose you could ask, what is it that makes me feel so good?
What can make me feel this way?
What is it exactly that brings me such happiness?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
The answer is simple - it's all because of my girl.
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I can't stop talking about how amazing my girl is.
I've got so much honey the bees envy me
My love for my girl is so strong, it's like I have an endless supply of sweetness that even the bees are jealous of.
I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees
My love for my girl inspires me to sing a song even sweeter than the birds in nature.
Hey hey hey
Just a joyful expression of my positive feelings.
Ooh
Another expression of my happy emotions.
I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
My love for my girl is worth more than any amount of money, fame, or worldly success.
I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
My girl makes me feel like the richest man in the world.
With my girl
Everything just feels better when I'm with her.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald White, William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rodeo Barton
Rodeo Barton here--playing rhythm guitar in this video --next to Warren Haynes--this was probably only the second or third time we had played this song --This band was that tight --even on songs we had never played before-spontaneous music at its best.
Nathan Morgan Music
Listen to Mickey flip Jamerson’s bass line on its head!!
Rockstar Drummer
Clean and tight. In the pocket.
Doug Murray
This is the way music is supposed to be played! You guys fuckin' rocked out this entire show.
jaytv 16
You guys kicked ass!
noel fernandez
One of the most unique entertainers of all time!
Jax Boi Productions
I just love how much fun DAC and everyone is having. Definitely keeping this on repeat lol
Gary Hamlin
best rendition of this song i've ever heard
John Conaty
Anybody know where I can find the complete concert? Used to be on YouTube, both David and Warren on fire! Think Warren plays a Skynyrd guitar solo in one of the tracks...
Sean
I'd love to own a DVD of this whole show.