(1) A country singer an… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists by this name:
(1) A country singer and songwriter from Texas.
(2) An alias of techno producer Thomas Wendel.
(1) Don Williams (Born May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas - Died September 8, 2017) spent much of his childhood in Corpus Christi, Texas. His father was a mechanic whose job took him to other regions, his mother played guitar and he grew up listening to country music. He and Lofton Kline formed a semi-professional folk group called the Strangers Two, and then, with the addition of Susan Taylor, they became the Pozo-Seco Singers, the phrase being a geological term to denote a dry well. Handled by Bob Dylan's manager Albert Grossman, they had major pop hits in the U.S. with "Time," "I Can Make It With You" and "Look What You've Done." Following Kline's departure, they employed several replacements, resulting in a lack of musical direction. After Williams had failed to turn the trio towards country music, they disbanded in 1971.
He then worked for his father-in-law but also wrote for Susan Taylor's solo album via Jack Clement's music publishing company. Clement asked Williams to record albums of his company's best songs, mainly with a view to attracting other performers. In 1973, Don Williams, Volume 1 was released on the fledgling JMI label and included such memorable songs as Bob McDill's apologia for growing old, "Amanda," and Williams' own "The Shelter of Your Eye." Williams' work was reissued by Dot Records, and Don Williams, Volume 2 included "Atta Way to Go" and "We Should Be Together." Williams then had a country No. 1 with Wayland Holyfield's "You're My Best Friend," which has become a standard and is the perennial sing-along anthem at his concerts. By now, the Williams' style had developed: gently paced love songs with straightforward arrangements, lyrics and sentiments. Williams was mining the same vein as Jim Reeves, but he eschewed Reeves' smartness by dressing like a ranch-hand. Besides having a huge contingent of female fans, Williams counted Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend among his admirers. Clapton recorded his country hit "Tulsa Time," written by Danny Flowers, a member of Williams' band.
Williams played a band member himself in the Burt Reynolds film W.W. & the Dixie Dance Kings and also appeared in Smokey and the Bandit 2. Williams' other successes include "Till the Rivers All Run Dry," "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend," "Lay Down Beside Me" and his only U.S. solo pop hit, "I Believe in You." Unlike most established country artists, he has not sought duet partners, although he and Emmylou Harris found success in 1981 with their version of Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You." Among the highlights of Williams' recording career is his interpretation of "Good Ol' Boys Like Me," McDill's homage to his southern roots. Moving to Capitol Records in the mid-'80s, Williams released such singles as "Heartbeat in the Darkness" and "Senorita," but the material was not as impressive. He took a sabbatical in 1988, but subsequent RCA Records recordings showed that nothing had changed.
In 1998, Williams released I Turn the Page on Giant Records, but the label soon closed its country music division. Following a live album in 2001, Williams retuned in 2004 with My Heart to You.
Maintaining his stress-free style, Williams continues to be a major concert attraction, especially in the U.K. and South Africa.
Williams initially started out as a songwriter for Jack Music Inc., since he lacked belief about going solo but then signed with JMI as a solo artist. His 1974 song "We Should Be Together" reached number five and he was signed on with ABC/Dot. His first single with ABC/Dot, "I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me," became a number one hit, and was the first of a string of top ten hits he had between 1974 and 1991. In fact, only four of his 46 singles didn't make it to the Top Ten. Recently (as of 2012), he released the album And So It Goes.
From His Own Website.
They came to call Don Williams “the Gentle Giant” in the decades he was a dominating country hit maker because of his unique blend of commanding presence and that laid-back, easy style that has appealed to adult men and women alike—cutting across national and genre boundaries. If those personal and musical qualities stood out strongly across the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, they are all the more distinctive in 2012, when so many country and pop records seem to work as check off lists of somebody’s idea of how to be a man, or hard-sell attempts to indicate affection for a woman. Don Williams has never sounded like he felt the need to sell somebody something, or to prove anything.
On And So It Goes, available from Sugar Hill on June 19th, that winning, self-assured ease is again front and center, and the musical style that has made Don a ballad vocal model for performers ranging from Eric Clapton (with whom he’d traded songs—“Tulsa Time,” “Lay Down Sally”) to Keith Urban (who guests on this release). One listen to the characteristically right-on-target vocals on this first Don Williams recording in eight years and his admirers will be wondering what he’s done to maintain that strength over the hiatus.
“Well, there are things that I don’t do,” Don laughs. “I don’t do a whole lot of sitting around chit-chatting, laughing, and carrying on—especially when I’m on the road, where that just makes you tired, anyway. Even at home on the farm there are literally days on end that I may not say anything but for an hour or two a day.”
This man who so clearly loves the quiet home life can still fill an auditorium or stadium across the U.S., the U.K., Europe and Africa; his special role as an international ambassador for American country and pop music is ongoing and his musical appeal, he has long since been astonished to find, is about the same from the Central Time Zone to central Africa.
“The weird thing about that is—no; I don’t change my show to go play England or Nairobi. I can pretty much choose anything from my repertoire and it works wherever I am, and that still amazes me, because you’re talking about different cultures, sometimes different languages, and the whole nine yards.”
The hundreds of memorable songs in that repertoire—over fifty of them major hits—whether contemplative ballads, affecting love songs or change-up rhythm numbers, have always been a core Don Williams strength and focus. Don and long-time producer Garth Fundis, who returns in that role on this new album, each credit the other with having contributed to their own song-picking and sequencing skills—skills well put to shared use again when Nashville’s finest writers submitted hundreds of songs for consideration for Don’s return to recording. They both knew what they were looking for in selections that would appear on And So It Goes:
“They’re very well written, they’re interesting, and the melody and the lyric are saying the same thing,” Don says. “Even when we’re starting looking for the songs, just experimenting, Garth and I are just in agreement; we just want to make good music that touches our hearts and, hopefully, touches others’ in the process. For many years, though, Garth has fussed at me about one thing— that we need to be sure and do whatever song that I wrote, because I would just pass over it. I get more excited about a new song that I’ve just heard than I do my own material!” (There are, in fact, two Don Williams co-writes among the ten outstanding songs on this new release.)
Riding and crossing the line between country and pop, and all the more distinctive for doing it, Don brought a sound and sensibility to the country charts that proved a smash—a development that was initially a surprise even to him.
“When I was just a wee lad,” he recalls, “I really appreciated people like Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash and Jim Reeves; all of those guys back then meant a lot to me, but at the same time, I really loved Brook Benton, and the Platters and all of those people. But even when I was ‘in pop’ myself, with everything that I wrote, the only people who really seemed to appreciate it were country fans. That has to tell you a little bit about where your heart’s at, whether your head agrees with it or not!”
Born in Floydada, Florida in 1939 and growing up near Corpus Christi, Texas, Don was playing guitar by age twelve, taught by his mother, and performed in folk, country and rock bands as a teenager. He first gained musical attention as a member of the pop folk trio The Pozo Seco Singers, which had six pop chart hits in 1966-’67, then was signed as a songwriter by Nashville’s Cowboy Jack Clement in 1971—the sort of songwriter whose demos demanded attention. Between 1974 and 1991, Don had at least one major hit every year, including such country standards to be as “ Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “Till the Rivers All Run Dry,” “It Must Be Love,” “I’m Just a Country Boy,” “Amanda” and “I Believe in You.” He also had a hit duet with Emmylou Harris on Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.” Don was the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 1978; his “Tulsa Time” was the ACM Record of the Year for 1979.
In 2010, Don received country music’s highest honor, with his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Don Williams died on 8 september 2017 after a short illness. He was 78 years old.
(2) Founder and owner of Mojuba & A.R.T.less Records and one half of the Tokomak Records company. He is the creative force behind these imprints and Tokomak's main founding member. His musical influences ranges from Classic, Funk and Jazz via Drum & Bass and Trip Hop to his beloved Detroit Techno and US House, which can be still enjoyed throughout his DJ-Sets. After a few releases on the legendary Pure Plastic imprint, he delivers tracks of his own brand of funk on labels like Rewired, Styrax Leaves and 100% Pure.
Ride On
Don Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Straight into the pale moonlight, make believe of course
But what's a little girl of eight
Supposed to do when she's up so late
She can't sleep 'cause it sounds like hate
Coming from her momma and daddy's room
Ride on, ride on
Out to where it don't hurt no more
Ride on, come on
Back to how it was before
Your momma left and your daddy cussed
All they ever seem to do is fuss, ride on
Tommy Lee's got a space machine,
He keeps it ready on the launching pad
'Cause there've been times that he has seen,
An alien invade his dad
So he heads out for the stars
Past the moon and straight to Mars
But what about the invisible scars
That come in a bottle that his daddy brings home
[Chorus]
Ride on, ride on
Out to where it don't hurt no more
Ride on, come on
Back to how it was before
Your momma left and your daddy changed
You don't even know who's to blame, so ride on
[Bridge]
Some people just lose control, some people hit overload
Some people act like some people, they never thought they'd be
So why can't we all see
The only antidote, The only way to cope
The only true hope is love
So everybody won't you,
[Chorus]
Ride on, ride on
Out to where it don't hurt no more
Ride on, come on
Back to how it was before
Go ahead and test your faith
There's still a lot of hope, it's never too late
To ride on the wings of love, ride on
Don William's song "Ride On" is a thoughtful analysis of the lives of three separate characters who are all searching for their escape from the problems that plague them. The first character is Peggy Sue, an eight-year-old girl who rides away on a rocking horse straight into the pale moonlight. This is a fantasy that she has created for herself as she is unable to sleep because she can hear the sounds of her parents fighting in their room. The chorus of the song urges Peggy Sue to ride on and escape the hurt and pain that she is experiencing.
The second character in the song is Tommy Lee, who has built a space machine that he keeps ready on the launching pad. Tommy Lee believes that aliens have invaded his dad, and he is determined to protect himself by traveling to Mars. However, the song suggests that Tommy should not ignore the invisible scars that his father's alcoholism has created. The chorus urges Tommy to ride on and find a way to cope with the situation he is in.
The third and final character in the song is not specified, but the lyrics suggest that at one time, they had a good life. However, since then, their parents have divorced, and the person has been left to deal with the aftermath. The chorus urges this character to ride on, test their faith, and find hope and love.
Don Williams has used these three characters to remind listeners that while everyone's problems are different, there is always a way to cope with them. The song encourages people to ride on, find hope, and love, and to never give up on finding a way to deal with their problems.
Line by Line Meaning
Peggy Sue rode away last night, on a rocking horse
Peggy Sue imagined escaping her troubled life by riding off on a pretend horse
Straight into the pale moonlight, make believe of course
Her fantasy involved leaving her problems behind, symbolized by the bright moonlight
But what's a little girl of eight
Peggy Sue is too young to understand the harsh realities of her parents' marital problems
Supposed to do when she's up so late
Being awake late at night, she is exposed to her parents' destructive arguments
She can't sleep 'cause it sounds like hate
The angry yelling between her parents keep her awake and unsettled
Coming from her momma and daddy's room
Conflict and disunity have taken over her parents' marriage
[Chorus]
The chorus is an invitation to rise above the pain and seek a better life
Ride on, ride on
Self-affirming call to keep moving forward despite difficulties
Out to where it don't hurt no more
Finding hope and healing in a new setting and away from toxic environment
Ride on, come on
Encouraging others to join in pursuing a more positive future
Back to how it was before
Nostalgia for a time when things were better, when her parents were happier
Your momma left and your daddy cussed
Painful changes that have occurred, spoling childhood memories
All they ever seem to do is fuss, ride on
Overwhelming sense of discouragement and hopelessness, prompting a decision to move on
Tommy Lee's got a space machine,
Introduces a new character and situation with similar themes of escapism
He keeps it ready on the launching pad
Tommy is ready to leave this planet and all of its problems behind
'Cause there've been times that he has seen,
Foreshadowing the impact of a broken family on a child
An alien invade his dad
Metaphor for the sense of alienation and chaos that family turmoil can bring about
So he heads out for the stars
Tommy seeks relief from his problems by exploring new possibilities beyond his own world
Past the moon and straight to Mars
Tommy's journey is full of ambition and audacity, as he seeks a better place for himself
But what about the invisible scars
Despite his escape, Tommy can't avoid the lasting emotional damage his family's turmoil has caused
That come in a bottle that his daddy brings home
The destructive impact of alcohol addiction is pervasive in families like Tommy's
[Chorus]
Restates the main message of the song
Ride on, ride on
Don't give up
Out to where it don't hurt no more
Seek a better life
Ride on, come on
Take others with you
Back to how it was before
Find hope in the past and use it to fuel the future
Your momma left and your daddy changed
The changes in Tommy's family are irreversible, but he can find a way to work with them
You don't even know who's to blame, so ride on
Sometimes it's hard to know who to blame for family problems, so Tommy can't waste time trying to assign fault
[Bridge]
An encouragement to overcome life's obstacles
Some people just lose control, some people hit overload
People react differently to stress and life pressures
Some people act like some people, they never thought they'd be
Coping mechanisms can surprise us when used in difficult situations
So why can't we all see
An appeal for empathy and understanding
The only antidote, The only way to cope
Love is the best remedy for many of life's problems, including family dysfunction
The only true hope is love
Love can be a powerful force for positive change, emphasizing the importance of healthy relationships
So everybody won't you,
Don calls on everyone to join together in love and understanding
[Chorus]
Final restatement of the song's message
Ride on, ride on
Never give up
Out to where it don't hurt no more
Find your own space and healing
Ride on, come on
Take others with you
Go ahead and test your faith
Facing new challenges and pursuing change requires faith and belief
There's still a lot of hope, it's never too late
Optimistic reminder of the ability to recover from difficult situations
To ride on the wings of love, ride on
Final emphasis of the importance of love as a transformative power
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, SYDNEY ERIN MUSIC
Written by: GORDIE EDMOND JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind