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."
Ramblin' Fever
David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
my ears can't stand to hear the same old song
and I don't leave the highway long enough to bog down in the mud
I've got ramblin' fever in my blood
Well I caught this ramblin' fever long ago
when I first heard a lonesome whistle blow
if someone said I ever gave a damn they damn sure told you wrong
Ramblin' fever the kind that can't be measured by degrees
Ramblin' fever there ain't no kind of cure for my disease
There's times I'd like to bed down on a sofa
and let some pretty lady rub my back
spend the early mornin' drinking coffee
talkin' about when I'll be comin' back
But I don't let no woman tie me down
and I'll never get to old to get around
I wanna die along the highway and rot away like some old highline pole
restless ramblin' fever in my soul
Ramblin' fever the kind that can't be measured by degrees
Ramblin' fever there ain't no kind of cure for my disease
David Allan Coe's song "Ramblin' Fever" is about the life of a man who is constantly on the move. His "ramblin' fever" has been with him for a long time, ever since he first heard the whistle of a train. He can't stand to be in one place for too long, or hear the same song over and over again. He's got a restless spirit and desires to be on the move.
The song conveys a sense of freedom and adventure. The singer is not tied down by anyone or anything. He's free to explore the world and experience all that it has to offer. He enjoys the company of women, but he doesn't want anyone to tie him down. He'll always be on the move, until the end of his days.
The lyrics can also be interpreted as a commentary on the human condition. We all have a "ramblin' fever" inside of us - a desire to explore, to experience new things. We're never truly satisfied with what we have, and we're always looking for something more. This song is an anthem for those who can't sit still, who want more out of life than what they already have.
Line by Line Meaning
Well my hat don't hang on the same nail too long
I can't stay in one place for too long.
my ears can't stand to hear the same old song
I get bored very easily.
and I don't leave the highway long enough to bog down in the mud
I won't stick around in a bad situation.
I've got ramblin' fever in my blood
I have an insatiable desire to travel.
Well I caught this ramblin' fever long ago
I've had this desire to travel for a long time.
when I first heard a lonesome whistle blow
The sound of a train whistle made me want to travel.
if someone said I ever gave a damn they damn sure told you wrong
I don't care what people think of me.
I've had ramblin' fever all along
I've always had a desire to travel.
Ramblin' fever the kind that can't be measured by degrees
My desire to travel cannot be measured or contained.
Ramblin' fever there ain't no kind of cure for my disease
There is no cure for my desire to travel.
There's times I'd like to bed down on a sofa
Sometimes I want to take a break and relax.
and let some pretty lady rub my back
I like the idea of being pampered by a woman.
spend the early mornin' drinking coffee
I enjoy the simple things in life.
talkin' about when I'll be comin' back
I like to plan for my next trip.
But I don't let no woman tie me down
I won't let a woman control me or keep me from traveling.
and I'll never get to old to get around
I plan to travel for the rest of my life.
I wanna die along the highway and rot away like some old highline pole
I want to die doing what I love - traveling.
restless ramblin' fever in my soul
My desire to travel is a part of who I am.
Contributed by Aiden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
karis mitchell
I've heard hit do it live. UNREAL.
YaLLdaNgOLeDEmeCrAtS
I went to a concert down at my mom's bosses Farm and one band performed and David Allan Coe was supposed to perform next but it was like 2 hours before he ever showed up by the time he showed up it was like 1:30 in the morning and there were only like 20 people left just 20 people and David Allan Coe in the middle of a farm in Clarksville Arkansas with a bunch of drunks.
KARSONSR MCINTYRE
One of the best
Joey Busche
wow what a wonderfull cover