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.
I'M A SURVIVOR
Johnny Paycheck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm just not that good
At dealing with fortune and fame
I've made mistakes
More than I care to recall
But one way or another
I've always managed to get over the fall
I've paid my dues
I wrote the book on hard knocks
And paved that road with my boots
I've been featured on the six o'clock news
Hey I'm a survivor
Win, draw or lose
Sometimes I wonder how I've managed to live through it all
I made an art out of living with my back to the wall
The records will show that I had my share of regrets
But as long as I'm breathing
You ain't heard the last of old John yet
Cause I'm a survivor
I'm just like you
Doing the best with the hand that I drew
Dragging the part I couldn't refuse
Yes I'm a survivor
Win, draw or lose
Yes I'm a survivor
I'm a survivor
I'm a survivor
Hey I'm a survivor
I'm a survivor
I'm a survivor
The song "I'm a Survivor" by Johnny Paycheck is a reflection of his life as an artist in the music industry. He begins the song by acknowledging that people consider him a legend, but he confesses that he is not capable of handling fame and fortune very well. The lyrics suggest that he has made several mistakes in his life. He looks back on his journey and acknowledges the struggles he encountered but managed to overcome them all.
The chorus of the song speaks to the resilience of Johnny Paycheck, and his ability to get through the tough times. He sings about paying his dues, being a survivor, and having written the book on hard knocks. Despite the challenges he has faced, he expresses pride in his ability to overcome them with determination and perseverance.
Throughout the song, Paycheck reflects on his life, admitting that he has had his fair share of regrets, but is determined to keep moving forward. "I'm a Survivor," speaks to his will power, his strength, and his ability to rise above challenges. The message of the song is inspirational, and it encourages listeners to keep striving towards their goals, despite the obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
They say I'm a legend so I try to live up to the name
People call me a legend, and I try to live up to that reputation.
But I'm just not that good
However, I'm not really as good as they think I am.
At dealing with fortune and fame
In fact, dealing with success and fame has always been difficult for me.
I've made mistakes
I've made plenty of mistakes in my life.
More than I care to recall
In fact, there are so many that I can't even remember them all.
But one way or another
Despite all of this, I've managed to survive.
I've always managed to get over the fall
No matter how hard I fall, I always manage to pick myself back up.
Cause I'm a survivor
I'm a survivor, plain and simple.
I've paid my dues
I've worked hard and paid my dues in life.
I wrote the book on hard knocks
I've experienced plenty of hardships and learned from them all.
And paved that road with my boots
I've walked a long, hard road to get where I am.
I've been featured on the six o'clock news
I've had my fair share of media attention.
Hey I'm a survivor
But through it all, I've survived and come out stronger.
Win, draw or lose
No matter what happens, I'll keep on going.
Sometimes I wonder how I've managed to live through it all
Sometimes I'm amazed that I've made it this far in life.
I made an art out of living with my back to the wall
I've become an expert at facing adversity and overcoming it.
The records will show that I had my share of regrets
I'll admit that I've had some regrets in my life.
But as long as I'm breathing
But as long as I'm alive, there's still time to make things right.
You ain't heard the last of old John yet
I'm not done yet, and there's more to come from me.
I'm just like you
In the end, I'm just a regular person like everyone else.
Doing the best with the hand that I drew
I'm doing the best with the cards I've been dealt in life.
Dragging the part I couldn't refuse
I've had to deal with things that I had no choice in and make the best of it.
Yes I'm a survivor
But even with all of these challenges, I'm still a survivor.
I'm a survivor
And I'll keep on surviving, no matter what comes my way.
Contributed by Sadie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.