Born Donald Eugene Lytle in Greenfield, Ohio, he began playing guitar by age 6 and made his first record at age 15. After a time served in the United States Navy (which included a court-martial for assault), he began performing under the name Donny Young. The singer took a job with country music star George Jones, for whom he played bass and steel guitar for several years, co-writing Jones' hit song, "Once You've Had the Best." By the 1960s, he had changed his name to Johnny Paycheck, a name similar to Johnny Cash, which has sometimes caused confusion.
A member of the Grand Ole Opry, PayCheck is best remembered for his 1977 cover of, "Take This Job and Shove It" (written by David Allan Coe) which sold over 2 million copies and inspired a motion picture of the same name. Colorado Kool-Aid is another of his most famous songs. In his career, PayCheck recorded eleven songs that made it into country music's top ten chart plus he co-wrote several successful songs for other country singers including "Apartment #9," a hit for Tammy Wynette.
His life was often filled with turmoil and in 1985, PayCheck was convicted of shooting a man in Hillsboro, Ohio and spent two years in prison. His tax problems with the IRS led to his filing for bankruptcy in 1990. Later in the 1990s, he began capitalizing the fourth letter of his name in a style later dubbed CamelCase, preferring to be known as Johnny PayCheck.
PayCheck suffered from drug and alcohol addiction during his career, although he was said to have "put his life in order" [1] after his prison stay. Suffering from emphysema and asthma, after a lengthy illness, Johnny PayCheck died at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
He was interred in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.
He is survived by his wife Sharon PayCheck and son Jonathan PayCheck.
Crazy Arms
Johnny Paycheck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I feel
And the storm
Brewing in this heart of mine
This ain't no crazy dream I know
That it's real
Crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new
While my yearning heart keeps saying you're not mine
This aint no crazy dream I know-oh that it's real
That's why I'm lonesome all the time
Yes Oh Please take these treasured dreams I had for you and me
And take
All the love I thought was mine
Someday My crazy arms may hold somebody new
But Now, I so lonesome all the time
Crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new
While my yearning heart keeps saying you're not mine
This aint no crazy dream I know that it's true
that's why I'm lonesome all the time
Johnny Paycheck's "Crazy Arms" is a mournful ballad that speaks to the pain of heartbreak and the struggle to move on. The opening lines express the profound depth of the singer's grief, stating "Blue ain't the word for the way that I feel." The use of the color blue as a metaphor for sadness is a common trope in music, emphasizing the emotional intensity of the lyrics. The following verse touches on the untamed storm of emotions that the singer is feeling, with a "storm brewing in this heart of mine."
The chorus further delves into the theme of heartache, with the singer lamenting his "crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new" while his heart still yearns for his lost love. The repetition of the phrase "this ain't no crazy dream I know that it's real" underscores the devastating reality of the situation, leaving the singer "lonesome all the time." The verses that follow express a desire to move on from the pain, with the singer hoping that someday he may be able to hold someone new, but for now, he remains lost and alone in his misery.
Overall, this song stands out as a powerful reflection on the experience of heartbreak and the deep ache that can accompany it. Paycheck's ability to capture the sentiment of lost love through words and melody is a testament to his skill as a songwriter.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue ain't the word for the way
That I feel
My emotions are too intense for simple words to describe
And the storm
Brewing in this heart of mine
There is turmoil and unrest inside me
This ain't no crazy dream I know
That it's real
That's why I'm lonesome all the time.
The pain and sadness I feel are not imaginary or temporary, which is why I am constantly lonely
Crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new
While my yearning heart keeps saying you're not mine
I am desperate to find someone to love, even though my heart still longs for the person who left me
Yes Oh Please take these treasured dreams I had for you and me
And take
All the love I thought was mine
I need to let go of the hopes and love I had for someone who is no longer in my life
Someday My crazy arms may hold somebody new
But Now, I so lonesome all the time
Although I may find love again in the future, for now I am consumed by loneliness
Crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new
While my yearning heart keeps saying you're not mine
Even though I try to move on, deep down I still love the person who left me
This aint no crazy dream I know that it's true
that's why I'm lonesome all the time
I am painfully aware of the reality of my situation, which is why I am always lonely
Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.