Davis graduated at 16 from Lubbock High School in Lubbock, Texas. He spent his childhood years with his sister Linda, living and working at the former College Courts, an efficiency apartment complex owned by his father, T. J. Davis, located at the intersection of College Avenue and 5th Street. Davis describes his father, who was divorced from Davis's mother, as "very religious, very strict, and very stubborn." Though Davis was physically small, he had a penchant for getting into fistfights. "In those days, it was all about football, rodeo, and fistfights. Oh, man, I got beat up so much while I was growing up in Lubbock," Davis said in a March 2, 2008, interview with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper. "I was 5 feet, 9 inches, and weighed 125 pounds. I joined Golden Gloves, but didn't do good even in my (own) division." After he finished high school, Davis moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where his mother lived, to get out of Lubbock.
Once he was settled in Atlanta, he organized a rock and roll group called the Zots, and made two singles for OEK Records, managed and promoted by OEK owner Oscar Kilgo. Davis also worked for the Vee Jay record company (home to such R&B stars as Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler, and Dee Clark) as a regional manager, and later also served as a regional manager for Liberty Records.
Davis became famous as a songwriter and got his start as an employee of Nancy Sinatra's company, Boots Enterprises, Inc. Davis was with Boots for several years in the late 1960s. During his time there, he played on many of Sinatra's recordings, and she worked him into her stage shows. Boots Enterprises also acted as Davis's publishing company, publishing songs such as "In the Ghetto", "Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife", "Home", "It's Such a Lonely Time of Year", and "Memories", which were recorded by Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra, B. J. Thomas, and many others. Davis left Boots Enterprises in 1970 to sign with Columbia Records, taking all of his songs with him.
One of the songs he wrote in 1968, called "A Little Less Conversation", was recorded by Elvis Presley (and would become a posthumous success for Presley years later). Presley recorded "In the Ghetto" in sessions in Memphis. According to maverick record producer Jimmy Bowen, "Ghetto" was originally pitched to Sammy Davis, Jr. Mac, guitar in hand, played the song in a studio, with onlookers such as Rev. Jesse Jackson and other members of the black activist community. Mac Davis, the only white man in the room at the time, eventually told Bowen, "I don't know whether to thank ya, or to kill ya." Mac Davis eventually recorded the tune after Presley's version became a success, and was released in a Ronco In Concert compilation in 1975. It was later released on a campy Rhino Records Golden Throats compilation in 1991. The song became a success for Presley and he continued to record more of Davis's material, such as "Memories", "Don't Cry Daddy", and "Clean Up Your Own Backyard". Bobby Goldsboro also recorded some of Davis's songs, including "Watching Scotty Grow", which became a #1 Adult Contemporary success for Goldsboro in 1971. Other artists who recorded his material included Vikki Carr, O.C. Smith, and Kenny Rogers and The First Edition. "I Believe in Music", often considered to be Davis's signature song, was recorded by several artists (including Marian Love, B.J. Thomas, Louis Jordan, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, and Davis himself) before it finally became a success in 1972 for the group Gallery.
Later, he also became known as a country singer. During the 1970s, many of his songs "crossed over", successfully scoring on both the country and popular music charts, including "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me" (a number one Grammy-nominated success), "One Hell of a Woman" (pop no. 11), and "Stop and Smell the Roses" (a no. 9 pop hit). Also, during the 1970s, he was very active as an actor, appearing in several movies, as well as hosting a successful variety show.
Davis soon decided to pursue a career of his own in country music; he was signed to Columbia Records in 1970. After several years of enriching the repertoires of other artists, his big success came two years after signing with Columbia. He topped the Country and Pop charts with the song "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me". It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America in September 1972.
Some of Davis's lyrics invoked overtly sexual relationships. In the song "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me", he pleads with a woman not to become too enamored with him, because he does not want to commit to a full-time relationship. Other successful songs, such as "Naughty Girl" and "Baby Spread Your Love on Me", contained similar lyrics.
In 1974, Davis was awarded the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year award. Some of Davis's other successes include the songs "Stop and Smell the Roses" (a number one Adult Contemporary success in 1974) (pop no. 9), "One Hell of a Woman" (pop no. 11), "Rock'n'Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)" (pop no. 15), and "Burnin' Thing" (pop no. 53). At the end of the 1970s, he moved to Casablanca Records, which was best known at the time for its successes with disco star Donna Summer and rock'n'roll band Kiss. His first success for the company in 1980 was the novelty song "It's Hard To Be Humble", a light-hearted look at how popularity and good looks could go to one's head. The song became his first Country music top 10 and a rare top 30 hit in the UK. (It was translated into Dutch as "Het is moeilijk bescheiden te blijven" and became a hit for the Dutch singer Peter Blanker in 1981). Later that year, he also had another top 10 song with "Let's Keep It That Way". In November, "Rock'n'Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)" was played by KHJ in Los Angeles as its last song before it switched from Top 40 to Country music. He achieved other successful songs, such as "Texas In My Rear View Mirror" and "Hooked on Music", which became his biggest Country music success in 1981, going to no. 2. In 1985, he recorded his last top 10 country music success with the song "I Never Made Love (Till I Made Love With You)".
On January 19, 1985, Davis performed "God Bless the USA" at the 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala, held the day before the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan.
Davis was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.
Forever Lovers
Mac Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A lifetime's a short time
When love never ends
They checked into a small hotel
She blushed when he asked
For the bridal suite
Anxiously they'd waited for the moment
That their love would be complete
She reached inside
Her brand new traveling bag
And found her brand new negligee
And then she shyly slipped it on
And suddenly, he realized
The beauty of the tender prize
He'd waited for so long and finally won
She climbed into the bed
He snapped his fingers
Said, I've got to get champagne
There's a little store right down the block
I'll only be a minute, close your eyes
And, hon, I'll be right back again
And time goes by so slowly
She's not sure how much has passed
When she hears the siren
Screaming through the night
And seven hours later, they find her
Rocking on the bed
Just singing in the early morning light
Forever lovers, forever friends
A lifetime's a short time
When love never ends
She checks into the old hotel
And pays a little extra for the suite
She slips into the faded negligee
And brushes down her hair of gray
And lays her body down to wait
And the night air through the curtains
Makes a sound like someone breathing
And she reaches for him with her fingertips
And they find her in the morning
With tear stains on her pillow
And a smile like a kiss upon her lips
Forever lovers, forever friends
A lifetime's a short time
I knew I'd see you again
Forever lovers, forever friends
A lifetime's a short time
When love never ends
This song is about two people who are deeply in love and devoted to each other. They check into a small hotel and are about to consummate their love when the man suddenly has to leave to buy some champagne. Time passes, and the woman realizes that something is wrong when she hears sirens in the distance. When they find her, she is rocking back and forth on the bed, singing to herself, and her partner is nowhere to be found.
Years later, the woman returns to the same hotel, now an old lady. She wears a faded negligee and lays down to wait for her lover, who never arrives. She eventually dies in her sleep, still thinking of him. The song takes the perspective that true love lasts forever and that the memories of love can linger long after one's partner has gone.
The song's melancholic beauty is its message that love endures even beyond death. It also illustrates the intoxicating power of love to transport people to another world, one where nothing else exists but the two people in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Forever lovers, forever friends
A couple in love, committed to each other for eternity as both partners and friends.
A lifetime's a short time
Time can pass quickly when a couple is in love and enjoying their lives together.
When love never ends
True love is enduring and not even the passage of time can damage it.
They checked into a small hotel
The couple retreated to a small, intimate location to celebrate their love.
She blushed when he asked
The woman was shy and embarrassed when her partner requested the bridal suite, as it further confirmed their sexual union.
For the bridal suite
The couple rented a room designed explicitly for newlywed couples on their first night together.
Was the beginning of their lives together
The honeymoon marked the start of their new journey as a married couple.
Anxiously they'd waited for the moment
Both partners were eagerly anticipating this milestone occasion in their relationship.
That their love would be complete
The honeymoon was seen as the culminating effort of their romance and the validation of their emotional attachment.
She reached inside
The woman searched her packed suitcase for something special.
Her brand new traveling bag
A brand new carry-on bag for her journey with her partner.
And found her brand new negligee
She discovered a new nightgown that she bought especially for the honeymoon.
And then she shyly slipped it on
Modestly, the woman wore the new garment, hoping to delight her partner in her beautiful attire.
And suddenly, he realized
The man suddenly became aware of the aesthetic appeal of his partner's new sleepwear.
The beauty of the tender prize
The inexpressible beauty of his precious treasure (i.e., his wife).
He'd waited for so long and finally won
The man eagerly waited for the opportunity to make love to his wife and finally got what he desired.
She climbed into the bed
The woman settled into the bed to rest after a long day.
He snapped his fingers
He clicked his fingers, a signal to emphasize what he was about to say next.
Said, I've got to get champagne
The man left to purchase some champagne because it was an expensive drink that was hard to drink frequently but fitting to the celebration.
There's a little store right down the block
A small shop that sold champagne was conveniently located near the hotel.
I'll only be a minute, close your eyes
He reassured his partner that he would be quick with the errand and that she could rest while he was away.
And, hon, I'll be right back again
He called his partner sweet names and promised to return quickly and safely.
And time goes by so slowly
Time appears to stop or slow down when one is powerless to control what happens next.
She's not sure how much has passed
The woman cannot determine how long it has been since her partner left, and it feels like an eternity.
When she hears the siren
The woman hears the sound of an ambulance, which indicates something has gone wrong.
Screaming through the night
The ambulance sirens penetrate the silent night, calling attention to itself and amplifying the fear that something is wrong.
And seven hours later, they find her
After a long search, the woman was found alone and bewildered.
Rocking on the bed
The woman was moving back and forth on the bed gently, possibly struggling to stay coherent under the extreme duress.
Just singing in the early morning light
The woman was singing, but it is unclear whether this was an attempt to comfort herself or a manifestation of a psychological breakdown.
She checks into the old hotel
As an old woman, she revisits the site of one of the happiest events of her life.
And pays a little extra for the suite
She pays extra to stay in the bridal suite, and it serves as a powerful reminder of happier times.
She slips into the faded negligee
She wears the same nightgown from many years ago, and it serves as a poignant memento of her honeymoon and the love for her husband.
And brushes down her hair of gray
Preparing herself to sleep, she combs through her gray hair, which has grown since her last stay in the hotel.
And lays her body down to wait
She patiently waits for something, possibly an external event or a natural passing.
And the night air through the curtains
The soft breeze from outside flowed inside the room after the curtains swayed by the wind.
Makes a sound like someone breathing
The sound made by the curtains was similar to the sound of breathing or someone trying to catch their breath.
And she reaches for him with her fingertips
The woman longs for her late husband and tries to touch someone who is no longer there.
And they find her in the morning
The woman has passed away in her sleep during the night, and no one was with her.
With tear stains on her pillow
The woman likely felt emotional or isolated and expressed this through tears on her pillow.
And a smile like a kiss upon her lips
Despite her death, the woman looked peaceful, signified by the small smile on her lips, perhaps as a result of an internal happiness with her life's experiences.
I knew I'd see you again
Even though the woman has passed, her conviction and love meant she always knew she would someday be reunited with her beloved partner and best friend -- forever lovers, forever friends.
Contributed by Grace G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@carolb8347
Always have to fight back the tears when I hear this song 😢
@cathysmith6620
I will miss you Mr. Davis
@danielburns987
this song went to #17 on the country charts in 1976!!!
@kevinfan726
the first album I ever bought. I was 12 or 13...and played it and played it. This is not my favorite song on the album, but it's the most famous I think.
@WickerBillVintageCountryMusic
I think you're right about this song...what is you favorite from the album.