Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2… Read Full Bio ↴Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2007), was an American singer and one of the more successful hit-makers of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Laine has had worldwide sales of over 250 million disks, and has earned 21 gold records. Originally a rhythm and blues influenced jazz singer, his energetic, passionate style has led some to consider him the first of the blue-eyed soul singers. Eventually he expanded to such varied genres as popular standards, gospel, folk, country, rock 'n' roll, and a hard-driving (and slightly campy) form of western/Americana.
... Throughout the 1950s, Laine enjoyed a second career singing the title songs of Hollywood films and television shows, including: Gunfight At OK Corral, 3:10 To Yuma, Bullwhip, and Rawhide. His rendition of the title song for Mel Brooks' 1974 movie Blazing Saddles won an Oscar nomination for Best Song, and his recording of "Rawhide" for the television series of the same name has become a classic of the genre.

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Frankie Laine Lyrics

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Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Rawhide!
Hah! Hah!

Keep rollin', rollin', rollin',

Though the streams are swollen,
Keep them dogies rollin', rawhide.
Through rain and wind and weather,
Hell bent for leather,
Wishin' my gal was by my side.
All the things I'm missin',
Good vittles, love, and kissin',
Are waiting at the end of my ride.

Move 'em out, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em on.
Move 'em out, head 'em up:
Rawhide.
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in,
Ride 'em in, cut 'em out,
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in:
Rawhide!
Hah! Hah!

Movin', movin', movin',
Though they're disapprovin',
Keep them dogies movin', rawhide.
Don't try to understand 'em,
Just rope an' throw an' brand 'em.
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
My heart's calculatin',
My true love will be waitin':
Waitin' at the end of my ride.

Move 'em out, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em on.
Move 'em out, head 'em up:
Rawhide.
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in,
Ride 'em in, cut 'em out,
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in:
Rawhide!

(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
Hah!
(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
Hah!
(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.)
Rawhide.

Hah!
Rawhide!

Overall Meaning

The song "Rawhide" is a western-themed song that starts off with rolling sounds and cowboy-like chants, immediately setting a tone of anticipation for a journey. The lyrics largely describe the hard work of cowboys moving cattle through various landscapes, despite difficulties such as swollen streams and bad weather. The singer mentions how he misses a number of things during this journey, such as good food, love, and kissing, that he hopes to reunite with at the end of his journey. The chorus emphasizes the idea of continuing to move forward even when times are tough and to cut out any distractions that might impede the journey.

The song's lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for the struggles of life, where people must keep moving forward despite challenges and setbacks. The song's message is one of perseverance and determination; the idea that even though a journey may be arduous, one must keep going and eventually they will find their desired destination. The use of rolling sounds also emphasizes the idea of movement, creating a sense of momentum and purpose.

Line by Line Meaning

Rollin', rollin', rollin'.
Let's keep moving forward and never stop.

Rawhide!
Let's use something tough and durable like leather to protect ourselves.

Keep rollin', rollin', rollin', Though the streams are swollen, Keep them dogies rollin', rawhide.
Keep moving forward even though there are obstacles in our way, and all we have is our own strength to guide us.

Through rain and wind and weather, Hell bent for leather, Wishin' my gal was by my side.
We're determined to keep going through any adversity, no matter what comes our way, and we wish we had our loved ones with us.

All the things I'm missin', Good vittles, love, and kissin', Are waiting at the end of my ride.
We miss the simple pleasures of life like good food, love, and physical affection, but we know they're waiting for us at the end of our journey.

Move 'em out, head 'em up, Head 'em up, move 'em on. Move 'em out, head 'em up: Rawhide. Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, Ride 'em in, cut 'em out, Cut 'em out, ride 'em in: Rawhide!
Let's start the journey and keep moving forward. Sometimes we have to cut out what's no longer useful and move on from it to continue progressing.

Movin', movin', movin', Though they're disapprovin', Keep them dogies movin', rawhide.
Even if others don't believe in us, we need to keep moving forward and pushing ourselves to reach our goals.

Don't try to understand 'em, Just rope an' throw an' brand 'em. Soon we'll be living high and wide.
Sometimes we don't need to fully understand our circumstances or others, we just need to take action and make the most of what we have. If we do this, we'll find success.

My heart's calculatin', My true love will be waitin': Waitin' at the end of my ride.
We have hope and motivation knowing that our loved ones will be waiting for us at the end of our journey, and that keeps us moving forward.

(Rollin', rollin', rollin'.) Hah! (Rollin', rollin', rollin'.) Hah! (Rollin', rollin', rollin'.) Rawhide. Hah! Rawhide!
The repetition and sound of the lyrics are intended to create a sense of excitement and motivation to keep moving forward through our journey, using our own strength and resilience to guide us.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: EDWARD TRUMAN, MIKE OATMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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