Joe Ely (born February 9, 1947) is an Austin, Texas, honky-tonk/country mus… Read Full Bio ↴Joe Ely (born February 9, 1947) is an Austin, Texas, honky-tonk/country musician. Ely, born in Amarillo, spent his formative years from age 12 in Lubbock, Texas.

Shortly after high school, in 1970, with fellow Lubbock musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, he formed The Flatlanders. According to Ely, "Jimmie was like a well of country music. He knew everything about it. And Butch was from the folk world. I was kinda the rock & roll guy, and we almost had a triad. We hit it off and started playing a lot together. That opened up a whole new world I had never known existed." In 1972, the band released their first and— until 2002's Now Again— only album, but have appeared together on each other's albums. Since the band's initial break-up just after their album was cut, the three musicians have followed individual paths.

Ely's own first album, self titled, was released in 1977. The following year, his band played London where he met punk rock group The Clash. Impressed with each other's performances, the two bands would later tour together, including appearances in Ely's hometown of Lubbock, as well as Laredo and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas.

Since then, a steady stream of albums have followed, most on the MCA label. Ely's live performances have become legendary, and he has released a live album roughly every ten years (the last was Live at Antone's in 2000). He has had a genre-crossing career, performing with Bruce Springsteen, Los Super Seven, David Grissom, and James McMurtry in addition to his early work with The Clash and more recent acoustic tours with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Guy Clark.

In the late 1990s, Ely was asked to write songs for Robert Redford's movie The Horse Whisperer, which led to reforming The Flatlanders with Gilmore and Hancock for an appearance on the movie soundtrack. A new album from the trio followed in 2002, with a third in 2004.

In February 2007, Ely released "Happy Songs From Rattlesnake Gulch" on his own label, Rack 'Em Records. A book of Ely's writings was published in early 2007 by the University of Texas Press. Ely also released a second album of old lyrics that he has finally recorded.

Several other reissues of Ely's previous work were due out later in 2007 on Rack 'Em.

Rock Me Baby
Joe Ely Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Put your arms around me, now
And try your best to squeeze me
Love me baby, you know how
Yes, a-rock me my baby
Well, rock a-like a hockory-dock, dickory-dock
Rock-a-bye, my baby
Up and down, around the clock
Well, a-rock me my baby

Plant your kisses on my lips
And make me bubble brightly
Thrill me to my fingertips
Well, a-rock me my baby
Tell me that you love me too
And say you'll never leave me

No one loves you like I do
So rock me my baby

Overall Meaning

In Joe Ely's song "Rock Me My Baby," the singer is requesting affection from his lover. He pleads for her to put her arms around him and squeeze him, as he desires to be close to her. He then urges her to love him as she knows how, all while rocking him like a hickory-dock, dickory-dock. The repetition of "rock me my baby" throughout the song serves as both a plea for affection and a lullaby.

The lyrics of "Rock Me My Baby" portray a desire for physical and emotional connection between two lovers. The singer is expressing his need for his partner's love and affection to make him feel whole. The song highlights the importance of physical touch and emotional connection in a relationship, as the singer is seeking comfort and reassurance from his partner. Overall, "Rock Me My Baby" is a romantic and heartfelt plea for love and affection.

Line by Line Meaning

Put your arms around me, now
Wrap your arms around me tightly

And try your best to squeeze me
Embrace me with all your might

Love me baby, you know how
You know how to love me, baby

Yes, a-rock me my baby
Yes, please rock me, baby

Well, rock a-like a hockory-dock, dickory-dock
Rock me with rhythm and precision

Rock-a-bye, my baby
Rock me like one rocks a baby to sleep

Up and down, around the clock
Rock me constantly and consistently

Well, a-rock me my baby
Again, please rock me, baby

Plant your kisses on my lips
Kiss me deeply on my lips

And make me bubble brightly
Make me feel joyous and alive

Thrill me to my fingertips
Excite me to my very core