Starting off singing at the local Optimist Club, Young was discovered by Webb Pierce, who brought him to star on the Louisiana Hayride radio program on KWKH in 1951.
He was drafted into the Army in late 1952, just after he was signed to Capitol Records. Nicknamed "The Hillbilly Heartthrob" and "The Singing Sheriff," he had many hits including:
"Young Love"
"If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')"
"Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young"
"Sweet Dreams"
"Alone With You"
"Hello Walls" (written by Willie Nelson)
"It's Four in the Morning" (written by Jerry Chesnut).
"Here I Am In Dallas"
"I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night"
Young made several appearances during the late 1950s on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee.
His #1 country hit "It's Four in the Morning" was written at his request as he was recuperating from a serious automobile accident in which he suffered head injuries. His tongue had been partly severed in the accident, and it took him several months before he could regain normal speaking ability. He had particular trouble with the "s" sound in most words, so he asked for a song which largely avoided that sound as his comeback effort.
Faron Young's band, the Country Deputies, was one of country music's top bands, and toured with him for many years.
Young co-founded, with Preston Temple, the Nashville trade newspaper, The Music City News.
Young died at the age of sixty-four of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had been in failing health when he took his own life.
Legacy and influence
A performance video clip of "It's Four In The Morning" was the first video to air on CMT when it first launched on March 5, 1983.
In 1985, the country singer inspired homage from British rock group, Prefab Sprout, whose multimillion-selling album, "Steve McQueen" contains the song "Faron Young." The song has the refrain: You give me Faron Young four in the morning / Forgive me Faron Young four in the morning..."
In 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
In the comic strip Peanuts, Frieda's cat was named "Faron" after Faron Young, of whom Charles Schulz was a fan.
Worked with Webb Pierce on the Louisana Hayride in 1951. First recorded with Tillman Franks & his Rainbow boys in 1951. Went solo in 1952. Appeared in the 1956 movie "Hidden Guns" and got his nickame "The Young Sheriff", and his band name, "Country Deputies" from that movie. Also appeared in the movies, Stampede, Daniel Boone, Raiders Of Old California, and That's Country. Founder and one-time publisher of the Music City News in Nashville. First charted song "Going Steady went to #2 on the Country Charts in 1953. Put 79 songs into the top 40 of the country charts from 1953-1978. Had 5 #1s. Last # 1 was It's Four In the Morning in 1971. During the '90s, Young was stricken with a debilitating emphysema. Depressed by his poor health, he shot himself on December 9, 1996, and passed away the next day Source Joel Whitburn's Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country
The Yellow Bandana
Faron Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A handsome young soldier, and the girl named Rosana.
Oh, way down west, in the winds on New Mexico.
There lived a girl and the soldier who loved her so,
And every night 'neath the full crimson moon above,
This brave young soldier, would pledge her his love.
And he gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
To wear in her hair, till he's with her once more.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Mounted his pony, and rode off to war.
His orders came, and he had to ride west again;
Seems that Apaches were causing unrest again.
He kissed Rosana goodbye as he rode away,
Promising this time he'd come back to stay.
[Chorus]
That war was over, and he came back home and found
That the Apaches had burned the whole village down.
And 'neath the tree where he'd last kissed Rosana,
Gripped on the cross, was his yellow bandana.
[Chorus]
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
To wear in her hair, till he's with her once more.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Mounted his pony, and rode off to war...
"The Yellow Bandana" is a ballad about the love between a young soldier and a girl named Rosana in the western United States during the Apache wars. The soldier gives her his yellow bandana as a symbol of his love and promise to come back to her. However, he is called to go back to the front lines as unrest brews again. Despite the danger, he promises Rosana that he will come back to stay with her after the war. Unfortunately, when he returns, he finds that the Apaches have burned down the whole village. He discovers the bandana he gave to Rosana gripped beneath a tree where they last kissed. It is a symbol of a love forever lost.
The song is a powerful example of the human cost of war and the impact it can have on individuals and communities. It also explores the themes of love, loss, and hope. The yellow bandana symbolizes the soldier's love, commitment, and sacrifice.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the story of the Yellow Bandana,
Introduction to the tale of a yellow bandana and the couple, Rosana and her soldier lover.
A handsome young soldier, and the girl named Rosana.
Describing the individuals in the story, a good-looking soldier and his beloved, Rosana.
Oh, way down west, in the winds on New Mexico.
Setting the location of the story in the western region of New Mexico that's prone to winds.
There lived a girl and the soldier who loved her so,
Introducing the love between Rosana and the soldier that was living in New Mexico.
And every night 'neath the full crimson moon above,
Describing the nightly ritual of the soldier professing his love to Rosana, under the full crimson moon's light.
This brave young soldier, would pledge her his love.
Highlighting the soldier's bravery and loyalty in expressing his love to Rosana.
[Chorus]
The recurring theme of the soldier giving his yellow bandana to Rosana before he goes to war, with her wearing it till his return.
And he gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Depicting the soldier's gesture of affection for Rosana by bestowing his yellow bandana to her.
To wear in her hair, till he's with her once more.
Emphasizing that Rosana will keep the yellow bandana until the soldier returns from war.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Repeating the previous statement to reinforce the significance of the yellow bandana.
Mounted his pony, and rode off to war.
Depicting the soldier leaving for war on his pony once he gave the yellow bandana to Rosana.
His orders came, and he had to ride west again;
Illustrating that the soldier received his orders to fight again, and he leaves to the west as a result.
Seems that Apaches were causing unrest again.
Explaining that the soldiers were called out to fight the Apaches that were causing disruption.
He kissed Rosana goodbye as he rode away,
Narrating the sad farewell between the soldier and Rosana as he left for war again.
Promising this time he'd come back to stay.
The soldier's vow to Rosana that he would return from the war to be with her again.
[Chorus]
The repetition of the chorus signifying the importance of the yellow bandana in the tale.
That war was over, and he came back home and found
Depicting the end of the war and the soldier's return home to find something had happened to Rosana and the village.
That the Apaches had burned the whole village down.
Revealing that the Apaches had burned down the village by the time the soldier returned home.
And 'neath the tree where he'd last kissed Rosana,
Depicting the tree where the soldier and Rosana had last embraced, now the site of the soldier's tragic discovery.
Gripped on the cross, was his yellow bandana.
Unveiling the sorrowful sight of the yellow bandana wrapped around a cross.
[Chorus]
Concluding the repetition of the chorus as the story ends, the yellow bandana remaining a testament to the love of the soldier and Rosana.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Repeating the line from the chorus to build on the theme of the yellow bandana's significance to the story.
To wear in her hair, till he's with her once more.
Reiterating that Rosana would keep the yellow bandana until the soldier comes back.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Emphasizing the importance of the yellow bandana to the story once again.
Mounted his pony, and rode off to war...
Concluding the storytelling by repeating the image of the soldier mounting his pony and departing for war after giving Rosana his yellow bandana.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AL GORGONI, LARRY KOLBER, STEVE KARLISKI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ABI-os6xp
This is the story of the Yellow Bandana,
A handsome young soldier, and the girl named Rosana.
Oh, way down west, in the winds on New Mexico.
There lived a girl and the soldier who loved her so,
And every night 'neath the full crimson moon above,
This brave young soldier, would pledge her his love.
And he gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
To wear in her hair, till he's with her once more.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Mounted his pony, and rode off to war.
His orders came, and he had to ride west again;
Seems that Apaches were causing unrest again.
He kissed Rosana goodbye as he rode away,
Promising this time he'd come back to stay.
And he gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
To wear in her hair, till he's with her once more.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Mounted his pony, and rode off to war.
That war was over, and he came back home and found
That the Apaches had burned the whole village down.
And 'neath the tree where he'd last kissed Rosana,
Gripped on the cross, was his yellow bandana.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
To wear in her hair, till he's with her once more.
He gave Rosana his yellow bandana,
Mounted his pony, and rode off to war...
@francistorchio
Wonderful song. First heard it in the fall of 1962 as a freshman in high school. Reminds me of Marty Robbins 'El Paso'.
@jesseblack2285
Must have been a great time to grow up
@jacobthemaster66
@@jesseblack2285 It really wasnt..
@jesseblack2285
@@jacobthemaster66 to each their own
@marthaheadley9425
Love that voice no matter what he sings
@ryanevasco5693
Few better. Faron had a famous voice
@brian5128
He could sing the phone book and itd be good!!
@maihumamai4383
Best romantic songs by faron young including hello walls. Classic country songs never to be forgotten.
@aryaindrayana7814
i'm from so far away country.. first listened to yhis song under 90s when i was in high school.. thank god i thought i had lost all these songs..
@ginnybagwell1580
Great singer! Wish he knew how much he was loved.