Gibson was born in Shelby, North Carolina into a poor working-class family, he dropped out of school in the second grade.
Gibson's first band was called Sons of the Soil, with whom he made his first recording in 1948. Among his greatest hits were "Oh Lonesome Me" (later recorded by both Ray Charles and Neil Young) and "Blue Blue Day" (both No. 1 hits in 1958); "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" (1959); "Sea of Heartbreak" (1961); "Lonesome No. 1" and "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart" (1962); and "Woman (Sensuous Woman)" (a No. 1 hit in 1972).
Gibson recorded a series of successful duets with Dottie West in the late 1960s, the most successful of which were the No. 2 country hit "Rings of Gold" (1969) and the top 10 hit "There's a Story Goin' Round" (1970). In 1957, Gibson travelled back to Nashville to record "Oh Lonesome Me" for RCA. He and producer Chet Atkins decided to abandon the traditional steel guitar and fiddle and use a new sound featuring only guitars, a piano, a drummer, upright bass, and background singers. It became one of the first examples of what would be called the Nashville Sound and won Gibson a #1 hit; it also set the pattern for a long series of other RCA hits, including “Blue Blue Day” (1958).
A talented songwriter, Gibson was nicknamed "the sad poet" because he frequently wrote songs that told of loneliness and lost love. He wrote and sang "I Can't Stop Loving You", a song that would be recorded by more than 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles with a pop version in 1962. He also wrote and recorded "Sweet Dreams" that would become a major 1963 crossover hit for Patsy Cline. A great fan, in 1967 Roy Orbison recorded an album of his songs simply titled: Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson.
Don Gibson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973 and in 2001 into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
On his passing in 2003, he was interred in the Sunset Cemetery, in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina.
I Can't Stop Lovin' You
Don Gibson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I've made up my mind
To live in memory
Of such an old lonesome time
I can't stop wanting you
It's useless to say
So I'll just live my life
Those happy hours
That we once knew
Though long ago,
They still make me blue
They say that time
Heals a broken heart
But time has stood still
Since we've been apart
The first two lines, "I can't stop loving you / So I've made up my mind" express the singer's inability to stop loving someone, despite recognizing that it may not be healthy or reciprocated. The line "To live in memory / Of such an old lonesome time" reflects the singer's choice to hold on to memories of a past when they were with the person they love, even if it means feeling lonely in the present.
The second stanza, "I can't stop wanting you / It's useless to say / So I'll just live my life / In dreams of yesterday" further emphasizes the singer's inability to let go of their longing for the person they love, and suggests that they have resigned themselves to a life of daydreaming about the past. The line "It's useless to say" implies that the singer has tried to convince themselves that they should move on, but has been unsuccessful.
In the final stanza, the singer reflects on the happy memories they shared with the person they love, and how those memories still bring them sadness even though they are in the distant past. The line "They say that time / Heals a broken heart / But time has stood still / Since we've been apart" suggests that the singer has not been able to move on or heal from the heartbreak they have experienced since separating from their loved one.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of deep, unyielding love and longing, despite the pain that it brings.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stop loving you
I am still in love with you and can't help my feelings toward you.
So I've made up my mind
I have accepted that I will always love you and decided to move forward living with it.
To live in memory
Instead of trying to forget you, I keep you in my thoughts and cherish our happy moments in my memories.
Of such an old lonesome time
It was a time of loneliness before we met, which makes the time we spent together even more significant.
I can't stop wanting you
I still desire and yearn for you, even though it's unreasonable to do so.
It's useless to say
Trying to deny my feelings is pointless because they are so strong and persistent.
So I'll just live my life
Instead of trying to fight my feelings, I'll continue to live my life, hoping our paths may cross again someday.
In dreams of yesterday.
I still have vivid dreams and reminisce about our past, constantly yearning for a time when we were together.
Those happy hours
I can't forget the hours of pure joy and happiness that we shared together.
That we once knew
Our relationship may be over, but I remember every moment that we spent together.
Though long ago,
It's been a while since our relationship ended, but the memories are still fresh in my mind.
They still make me blue
Thinking about our past and realizing we might not have a future together still makes me sad and emotional.
They say that time
People believe that time can heal all wounds and fix everything in the end.
Heals a broken heart
People believe that time can mend the emotions and negative thoughts that come with a broken heart.
But time has stood still
Time hasn't been able to heal the emotional pain that I feel after our separation, and it doesn't seem like it will change anytime soon.
Since we've been apart
Our separation has been challenging for me, and I can't forget the feelings I have for you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Don Gibson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@asifsaifullah1990
I can't stop loving you
I've made up my mind
To live in memories
Of old lonesome times
I can't stop wanting you
It's useless to say
So I'll just live my life
In dreams of yesterday
Those happy hours
That we once knew
Though long ago
Still make me blue
They say the time
Heals the broken heart
But time is stood still
Since we've been apart
I can't stop loving you
I've made up my mind
To live in memories
Of old lonesome times
@melissafalls4522
Fun fact I just learned apparently my great grandma was his high-school sweetheart and he wrote it for her. She had letters and a record of this song in her attic before she passed away. I never knew it but that's really cool. Atkeast I think it is
@bironjames9948
thats neat
@Jorgehernandez-cj9ho
Super cool 😎
@ronrozman
I think it's VERY cool.
@diegos.loayza3706
wow cool bro
@Jim-lu9pw
It is cool. In addition to that, i never realized how good Don Gibson was. He was very talented.
@lindajones7802
I can remember me sitting in the backseat of our car and my Mom and Dad singing this with the radio...I love this song! It was a happy time in my life hearing them sing together. <3
@lindadubose1648
...and all the words... I can remember without even a pause..just like it was 1958
@christopherbrian8638
Hi 👋
@roberteberhart1139
Same