Arnold was born on May 15, 1918 on a farm near Henderson, Tennessee. His father, a sharecropper, played the fiddle, while his mother played guitar. As a boy Arnold helped on the farm, which later gained him his nickname—the Tennessee Plowboy. Arnold attended Pinson High School in Pinson, Tennessee, where he played guitar for school functions and events. He quit before graduation to help with the farm work, but continued performing, often arriving on a mule with his guitar hung on his back. Arnold also worked part-time as an assistant at a mortuary.
In 1934, at age 16, Arnold debuted musically on WTJS-AM in Jackson, Tennessee and obtained a job there during 1937. He performed at local nightclubs and was a permanent performer for the station. During 1938, he was hired by WMPS-AM in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was one of its most popular performers. He soon quit for KWK-AM in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by a brief stint at WHAS-AM in Louisville, Kentucky.
He performed for WSM-AM on the Grand Ole Opry during 1943 as a solo artist. In 1944, Arnold signed a contract with RCA Victor, with manager Colonel Tom Parker, who later managed Elvis Presley. Arnold's first single was little noticed, but the next, "Each Minute Seems a Million Years", scored No. 5 on the country charts during 1945. Its success began a decade of unprecedented chart performance; Arnold's next 57 singles all scored the Top Ten, including 19 number one scoring successes.
In 1946, Arnold scored his first major success with "That's How Much I Love You". In 1948, he had five successful songs on the charts simultaneously. That year he had nine songs score the top 10; five of these scored No. 1 and scored No. 1 for 40 of the year's 52 weeks. With Parker's management, Arnold continued to dominate, with 13 of the 20 best-scoring country music songs of 1947–1948. He became the host of Mutual Radio's Purina-sponsored segment of the Opry and of Mutual’s Checkerboard Jamboree, a midday program shared with Ernest Tubb that was broadcast from a Nashville theater. Recorded radio programs increased Arnold’s popularity, as did the CBS Radio series Hometown Reunion with the Duke of Paducah. Arnold quit the Opry during 1948, and his Hometown Reunion briefly broadcasted in competition with the Opry on Saturday nights. In 1949 and 1950, he performed in the Columbia movies Feudin’ Rhythm and Hoedown.
Arnold began working for television in the early 1950s, hosting The Eddy Arnold Show. The summer program was broadcast successively by all three television networks, replacing the Perry Como and Dinah Shore programs. He also performed as a guest and a guest host on the ABC-TV show Ozark Jubilee from 1955–60. Arnold featured in the syndicated Eddy Arnold Time from 1955 to 1957. From 1960 to 1961, he hosted NBC-TV's Today on the Farm.
With the rise of rock and roll in the 1950s, Arnold's record sales declined, though he and fellow RCA Victor recording artist Jim Reeves had a greater audience with popular-sounding string-laced arrangements. Arnold annoyed many people of the country music establishment by recording with the Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra at RCA's studios in New York. The pop-oriented arrangements of "The Cattle Call" and "The Richest Man (in the World)", however, helped to expand his appeal beyond its country music base. This style, pioneered by Reeves and Arnold, became known as the "Nashville Sound". During 1953, Arnold and Tom Parker had a dispute, and Arnold dismissed him. From 1954 to 1963, Arnold's performances were managed by Joe Csida; during 1964 Csida was replaced by Jerry Purcell.
Arnold embarked on a second career that brought his music to a more diverse audience. In the summer of 1965, he had his first Number One country song in ten years, What's He Doing in My World and struck gold again six months later with the song that would become his most well-known Make the World Go Away accompanied by pianist Floyd Cramer on piano and featuring the Anita Kerr Singers. As a result, Arnold's rendition became an international success.
Bill Walker's orchestra arrangements provided the lush background for 16 continuous successes sung by Arnold in the late 1960s. Arnold performed with symphony orchestras in New York City, Las Vegas and Hollywood. He performed in Carnegie Hall for two concerts, and in the Coconut Grove in Las Vegas.[9] During 1966, Arnold was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the youngest performer to receive the honor. The following year Arnold was voted the first-ever awarded Country Music Association's Entertainer Of The Year. Two years later, Arnold released an autobiography named It's A Long Way From Chester County.
Having been with RCA Victor since his debut during 1944, Arnold left the company in 1973 for MGM Records, for which he recorded four albums, which included several top 40 successes. He returned to RCA in 1976.
During the 1980s, Arnold declared himself semi-retired; however, he continued recording. In 1984, the Academy of Country Music awarded Arnold its Pioneer Award. His next album, You Don't Miss A Thing wasn't released until 1991. Arnold performed road tours for several more years. By 1992, he had sold nearly 85 million records, and had a total of 145 weeks of No. 1 songs, more than any other singer.
In 1996, RCA issued an album of Arnold's main successes since 1944 as part of its 'Essential' series. Arnold, then 76 years old, retired from active singing, though he still performed occasionally. On May 16, 1999, the day after his 81st birthday, he announced his final retirement during a concert at the Hotel Orleans in Las Vegas. That same year, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences inducted the recording of "Make The World Go Away" into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2000, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. In 2005, Arnold received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy, and later that year, released a final album for RCA entitled After All These Years.
Eddy Arnold died from natural causes at 5:00 a.m. Central Time on May 8, 2008 in a nursing home in Nashville, exactly one week before his 90th birthday. His wife of 66 years, Sally Gayhart Arnold, had preceded him in death by two months. They were survived by two children (Richard E. Arnold, Jr., and JoAnn Arnold Pollard), two grandchildren (K. Michelle Pollard and R. Shannon Pollard, Jr.), and four great-grandchildren (Katie E. Pollard, Sophie Pollard, Rowan Pollard and Ben Johns).
On May 31, 2008, RCA released "To Life", as a single from the album After All These Years. It debuted at No. 49 on the Hot Country Songs charts, Arnold's first entry in 25 years and the recording by the oldest person to chart in Billboard magazine. It set the record for the longest span between a first chart single and a last: 62 years and 11 months ("Each Minute Seems Like a Million Years" debuted on June 30, 1945), and extended Arnold's career chart history to seven decades.
Cowpoke
Eddy Arnold Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Moan)
I'm lonesome but happy
Rich but I'm broke
And the good Lord knows the reason
I'm just a cowpoke.
All the ranges I know
'Cause I drift with the wind
No one cares where I go. (Moan)
I ain't got a dime
In these old worn out jeans
So I'll stop eatin' steak
And go back to beans.
I'll pick up a ten spot
And press God I know
Well, I'm ridin' the broncs
In the big rodeo. (Moan)
Some evening in springtime
A felly I'll find
And we might spend all the summer
With her on my mind.
But I'll never be branded
And never be broke
I'm a carefree range ridin'
Driftin' cowpoke... (Moan)
The lyrics to Eddy Arnold's Cowpoke describe the life of a cowboy, who though he may not have much in terms of material possessions, is content with his lot in life. He is lonesome but happy, and divinely guided in his wanderings across the ranges he knows so well. As a drifter, he is free, unencumbered by expectations and responsibilities, able to go where the wind takes him. He may be poor, as evidenced by the holes in his old jeans and his preference for beans over steak, but he is self-sufficient and proud of his ability to ride broncos in the rodeo.
Despite his solitude, the cowpoke allows himself the possibility of companionship and romance in the future. He imagines spending a summer with a lovely lady on his mind, but he is also realistic about the limitations of his lifestyle. He will never be branded, never tied down, and though he may not accumulate wealth, he is rich in experiences and memories. The moans interspersed throughout the song convey a sense of longing and melancholy, but they also serve to highlight the cowboy's resilience and determination to continue living life on his own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm lonesome but happy
Despite feeling lonely, I find contentment in my simple way of life.
Rich but I'm broke
Although I don't have much money or material possessions, I feel wealthy in other ways.
And the good Lord knows the reason
I trust in God to guide me on my journey and understand my circumstances.
I'm just a cowpoke.
I live a nomadic lifestyle as a cowboy, moving from place to place with no real home.
From Cheyenne to Douglas
I've traveled across many different ranges, exploring new areas and experiencing all they have to offer.
All the ranges I know
I am familiar with the terrains and communities of multiple regions, as I have journeyed across many parts of the country.
'Cause I drift with the wind
I am free-spirited and unattached, flowing from one adventure to the next with ease.
No one cares where I go. (Moan)
Because of my nomadic lifestyle, I am often alone and nobody is invested in my whereabouts or plans.
I ain't got a dime
I don't have much money, and often struggle to get by due to my unconventional lifestyle.
In these old worn out jeans
My clothes are battered and torn from my constant wandering and work as a cowboy.
So I'll stop eatin' steak
I must conserve my money by eating cheaper meals like beans, instead of indulging in more expensive dishes such as steak.
And go back to beans.
I am accustomed to eating inexpensive, but filling meals, that provide me with the energy I need to continue working.
I'll pick up a ten spot
I will find ways to make money, even if it involves doing odd jobs or participating in rodeos like bronc riding.
And press God I know
I am grateful for my ability to make money in unconventional ways, and rely on God for protection and guidance in my travels.
Well, I'm ridin' the broncs
I participate in treacherous activities such as bronc riding at rodeos, to earn some extra cash.
In the big rodeo. (Moan)
I am able to compete alongside other cowboys and test my skills and endurance in the big rodeo arenas, even if only for short periods of time.
Some evening in springtime
I may meet someone special to me during the spring season, when the world is full of life and opportunities.
A felly I'll find
I will find a special girl to spend the warm summer months with, and think fondly of her during my travels.
And we might spend all the summer
Together, we may enjoy the warmth and beauty of summer, exploring nature and experiencing new things.
With her on my mind.
Even after we part ways, I will always cherish the memories and the brief moments of companionship.
But I'll never be branded
I cannot be restricted or defined by any particular identity or relationship, as I value my independence and freedom too much.
And never be broke
Although I may not have much money or material possessions, I am rich in the experiences and adventures that life as a cowpoke provides me.
I'm a carefree range ridin'
I embrace the open range and the countless possibilities for adventure and self-discovery that it represents.
Driftin' cowpoke... (Moan)
I live my life on my own terms, drifting from place to place in search of new experiences and meaning.
Contributed by Josiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.