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."
now
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 song "Now's the Time" is a love song that speaks about the joy and peace that love can bring to an individual. In the first stanza, Coe highlights that there is nothing more satisfying than seeing your dreams come true, turning grey skies blue, and doing what you love. However, he establishes that falling in love tops all of these experiences. Coe muses that falling in love opens up so many possibilities and experiences that one cannot find in other pursuits.
In the second stanza, the singer further elucidates the beauty of love. Coe notes that there are numerous places that one could go to and so many things to do in life; however, none compares to the beauty of falling in love. He implores his audience to take their time in search of that special someone and not rush into things. Finally, in the last stanza, he emphasizes that there is no pleasure as breathtaking as living on a sailboat, taking one more toke, or watching the sun go down, but all of these pale compared to the beauty and significance of love.
In summary, David Allan Coe's "Now's the Time" is a passionate and uplifting love song that counsels his listeners that there is nothing more satisfying in life than love.
Line by Line Meaning
THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE WATCHING YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE
There's no feeling quite like seeing your aspirations become a reality.
NOTHING LIKE TURNING THOSE GREY SKIES BLUE
It's a unique feeling of satisfaction to be able to change a bleak situation into something more positive.
NOTHING LIKE DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
Being able to follow your passions and desires with no restrictions is truly liberating.
UNLESS ITS FALLEN IN LOVE
But all of those things are not nearly as amazing as falling in love.
UNLESS ITS FALLEN IN LOVE YOU KNOW
Without being in love, life can be aimless and wandering.
THERE'S SO MANY PLACES FOR YOUR HEAD TO GO
Without the direction and focus of love, it's easy to feel lost and without purpose.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HURRY JUST TAKE IT SLOW
There's no need to rush into love, it's important to take things at a pace that's comfortable for you.
NOW'S THE TIME TO FALL IN LOVE
But when the time is right, falling in love can be a wonderful experience.
THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE LIVING ON A SAILBOAT
Living a carefree lifestyle on a sailboat is a unique pleasure that not everyone gets to experience.
NOTHING LIKE SETTING YOUR DREAMS AFLOAT
Being able to set your goals and ambitions in motion is a great feeling of accomplishment.
NOTHING LIKE TAKING JUST ONE MORE TOKE
A small indulgence can be enjoyable, but it pales in comparison to the feeling of being in love.
THERE AIN'T NOTHING AS PRETTY AS THE SUN GOING DOWN
Watching the sunset can be a beautiful sight, but it doesn't compare to the beauty of love.
NOTHING AS FUNNY AS A CIRCUS CLOWN
Laughter is great medicine, but it can't replace the joy of being in love.
NOTHING LIKE RIDING ON A MERRY GO ROUND
The excitement of a carnival ride can be thrilling, but it can't replace the thrill of being in love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Billy Henderson, Walt Aldridge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ruzicka5142
Still here in 2024. Not ashamed to call him one of the greats.
@joshcantrell1433
still here
@markmotley8516
Amen, my friend ❤
@Daughter-of-an-outlaw
I'm with ya there partner
@angrydan79
He is one of the greatest idc what the snowflakes say
@oranberry
@@angrydan79Ok angry Dan I think you might be the snowflake here, those "snowflakes" aren't even here and you're scared of them lol
@TheMegadethMonk
This country song: 1 n-word
Avg rap song: 47 n-words
@brodyjones7041
but this one is the one that gets removed 😭
@mikebumgardner9391
Yeah, but this is a white man with a cowboy hat, not a black guy using the slur. It's seems it's ok for black people to say the slur but not any other race?
@gregy1570
and here it was complimentary tho, right? honestly??