Born in Glendale, Arizona, Robbins taught himself guitar while serving in the United States Navy during World War II, and subsequently drew fame performing in clubs in and around his hometown. In 1956, he released his first No. 1 country song, "Singing the Blues" and one year later, released two more No. 1 hits, "A White Sport Coat" and "The Story of My Life". In 1959, Robbins released his signature song, "El Paso", for which he won the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. Later releases that drew critical acclaim include "Don't Worry", "Big Iron" and "Honkytonk Man", the last for which the 1982 Clint Eastwood film is named, and in which Robbins made his final appearance before death.
Over the course of his career, Robbins recorded more than 500 songs and 60 albums, and won two Grammy Awards, was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was named the 1960s Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music. Robbins was a commercial success in both the country and pop genres, and his songs were covered by many other famous artists, including Johnny Cash, the Grateful Dead and Elvis Presley. His music continues to have an influence in pop culture today, having recently appeared in several contemporary pop culture features, including the video game Fallout: New Vegas, and the series finale of AMC's Breaking Bad.
Robbins was born in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix in Maricopa County, Arizona. His mother was mostly of Paiute Indian heritage. Robbins grew up in a difficult family situation. His father took odd jobs to support the family of 10 children; however, his hard drinking led to divorce in 1937. Among his warmer memories of his childhood, Robbins recalled having listened to stories of the American West told by his maternal grandfather, Texas Bob Heckle, who was a local medicine man. At 17, Robbins left his troubled home to serve in the United States Navy as an LCT coxswain during World War II. He was stationed in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. To pass the time during the war, he learned to play the guitar, started writing songs, and came to love Hawaiian music.
Robbins' discography consists of 52 studio albums, 13 compilation albums, and 100 singles. In his career, Robbins charted 17 Number One singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, as well as 82 Top 40 singles.
Robbins' highest charting album is 1959's Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. It charted to #6 on the all-genre Billboard 200, and was also certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album's first single, "El Paso", became a hit on both the country and pop charts, charting to Number One on the Hot Country Songs as well as the Billboard Hot 100. While that would be his only pop Number One, in 1957, "A White Sport Coat" charted to #2, and in 1961, "Don't Worry" charted to #3.
His final Top 10 single was "Honkytonk Man" from the 1982 eponymous film in which Robbins had a role. He died shortly before its release. Since his death, four posthumous studio albums have been released, but they made no impact on the charts.
Robbins married Marizona "Mari" Baldwin on September 27, 1948. They had two children, Ronny and Janet, and were married 34 years until his death.
Billy Venero
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bill Venero heard them say
That a band of Apache Indians
Were on the trail that way
Heard them tell of murder done
Three men killed at Rocky Run
"They're in danger at the cow ranch"
Said Venero under his breath!
Nearly forty miles away
Was a little place that lay
In a deep and shady valley
In the mighty wilderness
Half a score of homes were there
And in one a maiden fair
Held the heart of Bill Venero
Bill Venero's Little Bess.
So no wonder he grew pale
When he heard the cowboy's tale
Of the men that he'd seen murdered
There at Rocky Run
Sure as there's a God above
I will save the girl I love
By that love I hold for Bessie
I will see that somethin's done!
Not one minute he delayed
When this brave resolve was made
"But, man," his comrades told him
When they hears his daring plan
"You are riding straight to death!"
But he answered, "Save your breath,
I may never reach the cow ranch
But I'll do the best I can."
As he crossed the alkali
All his thoughts flew on ahead
To the little band at Cow Ranch
Thinking not a danger near
With his quirt's unceasing whirl
And the jingle of his spurs
Little Chapo bore the cowboy
OÂ'er the far away frontier.
Sharp and dear a rifle shot
Woke the echoes of the spot
"I am wounded," cried Venero
As he swayed from side to side.
"While there's life there's always hope
Slowly onward I will lope
If we fail to reach the Cow Ranch
Bessie Lee will know I tried."
Then at dusk a horse of brown
Wet with sweat came panting down
The little lane at Cow Ranch
Stopped in front of Bessie's door.
But the cowboy was asleep
And his slumber was so deep
Little Bess could never wake him
Though she tried forever more.
You have heard this story told
By the young and by the old
How the Indians killed Venero
On his way to Rocky Run.
Many years have passed away
And the maiden's hair is gray
But still she places roses
On Bill Venero's grave.
The lyrics of Marty Robbins's song "Billy Venero" tell the poignant story of a cowboy who goes on a dangerous mission to save his sweetheart's life but tragically loses his own in the process. The song is set in an Arizona town where Billy overhears that a band of Apache Indians is about to attack a nearby cow ranch. He realizes that his beloved Bessie Lee lives in that ranch and decides to ride there to save her. Despite warnings from his friends that it's a perilous journey, Billy resolves to go, declaring that he'll do the best he can to protect his love.
As he crosses the desert, Billy's thoughts race ahead to the Cow Ranch where he believes his lady waits for him. He holds the image of her in his mind as he rides Little Chapo, a trusty horse, hoping that he'll make it to her in time. Along the way, he encounters the Apache Indians who shoot him, but he perseveres, determined to keep going as long as he can. Billy dies from his wounds, but his efforts aren't in vain. His horse makes it to the Cow Ranch, and Bessie finds his body and buries him, honoring his memory with roses on his grave.
The song's lyrics are steeped in the cowboy and Western traditions of honor, bravery, and sacrifice. The story of a cowboy putting his life on the line for the woman he loves is a romantic trope that has resonated with audiences for generations. The lyrics also touch on themes of mortality, the frailty of human life, and the ultimate futility of human effort to preserve it. Billy Venero's perseverance and determination to save Bessie stand as a testament to the power of love and its ability to inspire self-sacrifice in the most dire of circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
In an Arizona town one day
One day, in a town in Arizona
Bill Venero heard them say
Bill Venero overheard them saying
That a band of Apache Indians
There was a group of Apache Indians
Were on the trail that way
Moving in their direction
Heard them tell of murder done
He listened as they spoke of a murder that just happened
Three men killed at Rocky Run
Three men lost their lives at Rocky Run
"They're in danger at the cow ranch"
"There is danger at the cow ranch"
Said Venero under his breath!
Venero whispered to himself
Nearly forty miles away
Forty miles from where he was
Was a little place that lay
There was a small area
In a deep and shady valley
In a valley that was dark and cool
In the mighty wilderness
In a vast and wild environment
Half a score of homes were there
Ten homes existed there
And in one a maiden fair
A beautiful young woman lived in one of them
Held the heart of Bill Venero
Venero was in love with her
Bill Venero's Little Bess.
She was called Little Bess by Venero
So no wonder he grew pale
He was understandably worried
When he heard the cowboy's tale
After listening to the cowboy's story
Of the men that he'd seen murdered
Regarding the men who were killed
There at Rocky Run
At the location of Rocky Run
Sure as there's a God above
Absolutely, without a doubt
I will save the girl I love
He swore to save the woman he loved
By that love I hold for Bessie
His love for Bessie motivated him
I will see that somethin's done!
He would take action to make it happen
Not one minute he delayed
He didn't waste any time
When this brave resolve was made
After deciding upon his plan
"But, man," his comrades told him
His friends said to him
When they hears his daring plan
Upon hearing his remarkable plan
"You are riding straight to death!"
"You are riding to your certain death!"
But he answered, "Save your breath,
But he replied, "Don't bother telling me not to"
I may never reach the cow ranch
He knew he might not make it to the ranch
But I'll do the best I can."
But he would give it his all
As he crossed the alkali
While crossing a barren area
All his thoughts flew on ahead
He mostly thought about the future
To the little band at Cow Ranch
To the group of people at Cow Ranch
Thinking not a danger near
Believing there was no danger nearby
With his quirt's unceasing whirl
With the constant motion of his quirt
And the jingle of his spurs
While the spurs made a noise
Little Chapo bore the cowboy
His horse, Little Chapo, carried him
O'er the far away frontier.
Across a distant border
Sharp and dear a rifle shot
Suddenly, a gunshot
Woke the echoes of the spot
The sound reverberated
"I am wounded," cried Venero
"I've been injured," Venero shouted
As he swayed from side to side.
While his body wavered
"While there's life there's always hope
"There's always hope as long as you're alive
Slowly onward I will lope
I'll continue moving forward slowly
If we fail to reach the Cow Ranch
If I don't make it to the Cow Ranch
Bessie Lee will know I tried."
At least Bessie Lee will know I made the effort
Then at dusk a horse of brown
Later that evening, a brown horse
Wet with sweat came panting down
Arrived, sweating and panting
The little lane at Cow Ranch
To the road near Cow Ranch
Stopped in front of Bessie's door.
And came to a halt by Bessie's door
But the cowboy was asleep
But the cowboy was already sleeping
And his slumber was so deep
He was sleeping soundly
Little Bess could never wake him
Bessie could not wake him up
Though she tried forever more.
No matter how hard she tried.
You have heard this story told
This story has been passed down through the years
By the young and by the old
By people of all ages
How the Indians killed Venero
About how the Indians murdered Venero
On his way to Rocky Run.
While he was on his way to Rocky Run
Many years have passed away
Many years have gone by
And the maiden's hair is gray
The young woman's hair has turned gray
But still she places roses
But she still puts roses
On Bill Venero's grave.
On Bill Venero's grave.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nannamae6188
In an Arizona town one day
Bill Venero heard them say
That a band of Apache Indians
Were on the trail that way
Heard them tell of murder done
Three men killed at Rocky Run
"They're in danger at the cow ranch"
Said Venero under his breath!
Nearly forty miles away
Was a little place that lay
In a deep and shady valley
In the mighty wilderness
Half a score of homes were there
And in one a maiden fair
Held the heart of Bill Venero
Bill Venero's Little Bess.
So no wonder he grew pale
When he heard the cowboy's tale
Of the men that he'd seen murdered
There at Rocky Run
Sure as there's a God above
I will save the girl I love
By that love I hold for Bessie
I will see that somethin's done!
Not one minute he delayed
When this brave resolve was made
"But, man, " his comrades told him
When they hears his daring plan
"You are riding straight to death!"
But he answered, "Save your breath,
I may never reach the cow ranch
But I'll do the best I can."
As he crossed the alkali
All his thoughts flew on ahead
To the little band at Cow Ranch
Thinking not a danger near
With his quirt's unceasing whirl
And the jingle of his spurs
Little Chapo bore the cowboy
O'er the far away frontier.
Sharp and dear a rifle shot
Woke the echoes of the spot
"I am wounded, " cried Venero
As he swayed from side to side.
"While there's life there's always hope
Slowly onward I will lope
If we fail to reach the Cow Ranch
Bessie Lee will know I tried."
Then at dusk a horse of brown
Wet with sweat came panting down
The little lane at Cow Ranch
Stopped in front of Bessie's door.
But the cowboy was asleep
And his slumber was so deep
Little Bess could never wake him
Though she tried forever more.
You have heard this story told
By the young and by the old
How the Indians killed Venero
On his way to Rocky Run.
Many years have passed away
And the maiden's hair is gray
But still she places roses
On Bill Venero's grave...
@jonnybon101
In an Arizona town one day
Bill Venero heard them say
That a band of Apache Indians
Were on the trail that way
Heard them tell of murder done
Three men killed at Rocky Run
"They're in danger at the cow ranch"
Said Venero under his breath!
Nearly forty miles away
Was a little place that lay
In a deep and shady valley
In the mighty wilderness
Half a score of homes were there
And in one a maiden fair
Held the heart of Bill Venero
Bill Venero's Little Bess.
So no wonder he grew pale
When he heard the cowboy's tale
Of the men that he'd seen murdered
There at Rocky Run
Sure as there's a God above
I will save the girl I love
By that love I hold for Bessie
I will see that somethin's done!
Not one minute he delayed
When this brave resolve was made
"But, man, " his comrades told him
When they hears his daring plan
"You are riding straight to death!"
But he answered, "Save your breath,
I may never reach the cow ranch
But I'll do the best I can."
As he crossed the alkali
All his thoughts flew on ahead
To the little band at Cow Ranch
Thinking not a danger near
With his quirt's unceasing whirl
And the jingle of his spurs
Little Chapo bore the cowboy
O'er the far away frontier.
Sharp and dear a rifle shot
Woke the echoes of the spot
"I am wounded, " cried Venero
As he swayed from side to side.
"While there's life there's always hope
Slowly onward I will lope
If we fail to reach the Cow Ranch
Bessie Lee will know I tried."
Then at dusk a horse of brown
Wet with sweat came panting down
The little lane at Cow Ranch
Stopped in front of Bessie's door.
But the cowboy was asleep
And his slumber was so deep
Little Bess could never wake him
Though she tried forever more.
You have heard this story told
By the young and by the old
How the Indians killed Venero
On his way to Rocky Run.
Many years have passed away
And the maiden's hair is gray
But still she places roses
On Bill Venero's grave...
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Traditional
@conniepartin2218
Marty Robbins was a master at performing Western ballads and story songs. He preserved the "Western" in country and western music. Of course, he had a voice like none other.
@roygutfinski9991
Marty was, is, and always will be, one of a kind.
@marylaster1902
Marty had a special gift I loved all the Hymns he sang made you feel like he was singing especially for you Thank you Marty and Thanks to your family for sharing your great gift!
@bluedream428
Mart made everyone feel special
@zanestarr6957
Whenever he sings you simply have to stop & be transported in time...that's a rare talent.
@conniepartin2218
He seemed to cherish history of the Old West. You can hear the feeling in his voice.
@isterleng8006
Zane Starr 0
@LightyDust
I truly think he is the greatest singer of all times.
@stevehodel6716
This was my two brothers and my "lullaby" song as children. our mother sang it to us almost every night and we LOVED IT. Several versions out there, but this is the closest to what I remember our mother singing and Marty Robbins is the BEST. Thanks for making the video.
@pedrorodrigues4633
+steve hodel You guys had good taste from the beginning! One of my favourites from Marty