Locklin was one of country music's early honky tonk singers. He first recorded for Royalty, a small label in northeast Texas, but soon moved to 4 Star Records, a regional country music label, before signing a long contract with RCA Victor. He had an estimated 15 million record sales worldwide and his songs were recorded by many other artists, including Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Roy Rogers, Dwight Yoakam and Dean Martin. He regularly appeared on the Grand Ole Opry beginning in 1960, making his final appearance in 2007.
Locklin had 70 chart singles, including six No. 1s on Billboard's country chart. Locklin's biggest hits included "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On", "Geisha Girl" and his signature "Please Help Me, I'm Falling", which went to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart. Billboard's 100th anniversary issue listed it as the second most successful country single of the rock and roll era. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. Other hits for Locklin included "Happy Journey" (1961), "Happy Birthday To Me" (1962) and "The Country Hall Of Fame" (1968).
Born in McLellan in the Florida Panhandle, Locklin grew up working in the cotton fields to supplement his family’s low income. He began playing the guitar at the age of nine after being seriously injured by a school bus.
His first marriage to Willa Jean Murphy ended in divorce. In 1970 he married Anita Crooks of Brewton, Alabama. He had a son and four daughters, 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and a few close great nieces and nephews such as Sarah Locklin.
In the 1960s, Locklin built a ranch house called The Singing L in the field in McClellan where he had picked cotton as a boy. He was later made the honorary mayor of the town.
Locklin had a strong following in Europe, and in Ireland. His popularity was such that in 1963 he recorded an album called Irish Songs Country Style. He has a fan club in Langeli, Bjerkreim, Norway. The obituary in The Times described Locklin as "the last remaining link between country music’s hillbilly roots and the lusher, modern pop sound of Nashville."
In 2006, Locklin appeared on the PBS special, Country Pop Legends in which he performed "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On," and "Please Help Me I'm Falling". Until his death at the age of 91 in 2009, he was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry. Hank had recently released his 65th album, By the Grace of God, a collection of gospel songs.
In 2007 he was inducted to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
He moved to Brewton Alabama, where he remained throughout his later years, and died there at home in the early morning on March 8, 2009.
Let Me Be the One
Hank Locklin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you want somebody to talk with you
Anything that makes you happy I wanna do
Oh darling, let me be the one
Let me be the one who means the most
The one you wanna love and call your own
And when you choose your partner, I wanna be the choice
Oh please let me be the one
Let me be the one to sit with you
And when you want some lovin' I'll know just what to do
Lots of lots of huggin' and a kiss or two
You've gotta let me be the one
Let me be the one to take you out
To your favorite places you have no doubt
And when the evening's gone we'd kiss goodnight
Oh please let me be the one
Let me be the one to share with you
All your little pleasures and sorrows too
In all kind of weather I wanna be with you
Oh please let me be one
Let me be the one to hold your hand
When the preacher says "Do you take this man?"
All these happy thoughts will mean so much fun
If you'd only let me be the one
Hank Locklin's song Let Me Be The One is a love song about a man asking his love interest to choose him as her life partner. In the first verse, he expresses his desire to be the one who walks and talks with her and make her happy. He wants to be the one she loves and chooses as her partner. In the second verse, he expresses his willingness to be with her in good times and bad, and he wants to be the one she turns to for love and affection. He offers to take her to her favorite places and be with her in all kinds of weather. In the final verse, he wants to be the one to hold her hand and take her as his wife.
The song's lyrics are sweet and romantic, reflecting the simplicity of true love that the singer longs for. The song showcases Locklin's ability to convey emotions through his voice and speaks to the heart of anyone looking for a soul mate. Locklin's warm and tender voice adds depth to the lyrics, making the song an iconic love anthem of the early 60s.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me be the one to walk with you
I want to be the person you rely on and walk together with.
When you want somebody to talk with you
Whenever you need someone to listen and talk to, I want it to be me.
Anything that makes you happy I wanna do
I am willing to do anything that brings happiness and joy to your life.
Oh darling, let me be the one
My love is sincere and true, please choose me to be the one.
Let me be the one who means the most
Out of all the people in your life, I want to be the one who matters most to you.
The one you wanna love and call your own
I want to be the person you fall in love with and call your partner.
And when you choose your partner, I wanna be the choice
In the end, when you choose the person you want to be with, I hope it's me.
Oh please let me be the one
I'm begging you to choose me to be the one you love and want to spend your life with.
Let me be the one to sit with you
I want to be the person you spend time with, sit beside, and relax with.
And when you want some lovin' I'll know just what to do
When it's time for romance and intimacy, I will know how to make you feel loved and cherished.
Lots of lots of huggin' and a kiss or two
I will give you all the hugs and kisses you need to feel loved and secure.
You've gotta let me be the one
I truly believe that I am the right person for you, please give me a chance to prove myself.
Let me be the one to take you out
I want to take you on dates and show you the world, or just your favorite places.
To your favorite places you have no doubt
I know you well and want to take you to the places that bring joy and happiness to your life.
And when the evening's gone we'd kiss goodnight
At the end of the evening, I want to share a tender and loving kiss with you before saying goodnight.
Oh please let me be the one
I am so in love with you, and I want you to choose me to be the one you love in return.
Let me be the one to share with you
I want to share in all aspects of your life, the good times and the bad, and everything in between.
All your little pleasures and sorrows too
I want to be there for you, for every small happiness and every heartbreak that comes your way.
In all kind of weather I wanna be with you
Through good or bad, rain or shine, I want to be by your side for every moment.
Oh please let me be one
I am asking from the bottom of my heart, please choose me to be the one and only love of your life.
Let me be the one to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand tightly, and always be there to support and comfort you every step of the way.
When the preacher says 'Do you take this man?'
When the time comes for us to get married, I will be there, waiting for you to say yes.
All these happy thoughts will mean so much fun
These happy thoughts of marrying the one I love are so exciting and joyful.
If you'd only let me be the one
Please let me be the one you love and marry, so we can have a lifetime full of happiness and love together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Blevins, Joe Hobson, W.S Stevenson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind