Donald Eugene Gibson (April 3, 1928 – November 17, 2003) was an American co… Read Full Bio ↴Donald Eugene Gibson (April 3, 1928 – November 17, 2003) was an American country musician.

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.

Satisfied
Don Gibson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, you ask me if I'm happy
If I have sweet peace within
If I'm worried 'bout tomorrow
When I reach my journey's end

Well, I'm satisfied with my Jesus
When He knocks I let Him in
He'll go with me through the valley

For I know He is my friend

Satisfied, satisfied
Well, no troubles can ever get me down
Oh, when my eyes are closed in death
With my Jesus I'll be at rest
Then you'll know I'm satisfied, hmm

Hmm, if my friends they all forsake me
And they turn me from their door
If they sow no seeds of kindness
Make the thorns in my path grow

Oh, it won't matter over yonder
When I reach that other side
For I'm a gonna sit down by my Jesus
Satisfied, I'm satisfied

Satisfied, satisfied

Overall Meaning

Don Gibson's song "Satisfied" is a testament to his faith and contentment in his relationship with Jesus. In the first stanza, he responds to someone who asks him if he's happy, has peace, and worries about the future. Gibson assures them that he is satisfied with his faith and has no fear about what's ahead because he believes in Jesus. Gibson believes that Jesus will be with him throughout his journey, even through the valley, and he considers Jesus a trusted friend.

In the second stanza, Gibson acknowledges that his friends may turn against him and make his life difficult, but he's not worried because he's convinced that when he reaches the other side, he'll be reunited with his savior. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus: "satisfied, satisfied... with my Jesus, for He satisfies." The lyrics are a testament to Gibson's unshakeable faith and trust in Jesus, and the song serves as an inspirational message of hope and trust in the face of life's difficulties.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, you ask me if I'm happy
You're curious if I'm content

If I have sweet peace within
If I'm at peace with myself

If I'm worried 'bout tomorrow
If I'm anxious about tomorrow

When I reach my journey's end
When my life comes to an end

Well, I'm satisfied with my Jesus
I'm content with my relationship with Jesus

When He knocks I let Him in
When Jesus calls, I respond and welcome Him into my heart

He'll go with me through the valley
Jesus will be with me through difficulties

For I know He is my friend
I'm sure that Jesus is my companion and supporter

Hmm, if my friends they all forsake me
If my friends abandon me

And they turn me from their door
And shut their doors on me

If they sow no seeds of kindness
If they don't show me any kindness