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.
Who Cares
Don Gibson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And no one seems to wanna speak
Oh Who Cares, who cares for me?
All the world seems cold
The world seems grey
Nothing seems the same since you went away
Who cares, who cares for me
Surely happiness can be found
Surely there's someone for me
Must I go through life with this hopeless love
Why can't I be set free?
All I want is you
All I know is you
But somehow our love just can't be
Who cares, who cares for me
The lyrics to Don Gibson's song "Who Cares" express the feelings of loneliness and heartbreak. The singer walks down a lonely street and no one seems to want to speak with him, highlighting how alone he feels in the world. He questions who cares for him and laments how nothing seems the same since his loved one went away. Despite the potential for happiness and finding someone new, the singer remains stuck in his hopeless love and wonders why he can't be set free.
The song's themes of loneliness, heartbreak, and questioning one's worth are universal and relatable for many. The lyrics capture the pain and confusion that comes with losing someone you love and feeling disconnected from the world. The repetitive use of "who cares" emphasizes the singer's feelings of abandonment and reinforces the song's overall message.
Overall, "Who Cares" is a poignant and emotional song that speaks to the human experience of heartbreak and loneliness. Its lyrics are a solace for those who have felt lost and disconnected in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I walked down this ol' lonely street
The singer is walking down a lonely street.
And no one seems to wanna speak
No one is interested in speaking to the singer.
Oh Who Cares, who cares for me?
The singer feels alone with no one to care for them.
All the world seems cold
The world feels rough and unwelcoming.
The world seems grey
The world appears dull and lifeless.
Nothing seems the same since you went away
The singer's life has changed since their loved one left.
Who cares, who cares for me
The singer feels no one cares about them.
Surely happiness can be found
The artist believes happiness is attainable.
Surely there's someone for me
The artist believes in the possibility of finding someone.
Must I go through life with this hopeless love
The artist feels trapped in a love that will not work.
Why can't I be set free?
The singer wants to be free from heartbreak.
All I want is you
The artist desires their loved one.
All I know is you
The singer's only certainty is their love for their loved one.
But somehow our love just can't be
The singer's love is not enough to make their relationship work.
Who cares, who cares for me
The singer remains lonely and uncared for.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID WOODFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
takoma5
One of his best songs!
Xye's End
Damn, this really sounds lit🔥🔥