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.
Cry Stampede
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the sound of thunder is spookin' the herd and I fear there'll be a stampede
The cattle are starting to mill around their bellows strike fear in my heart
I know if the storm lasts very much longe there's bound to be a stampede
Stampede cry stampede the thing that a cowboy fears the most is stampede
As I sat in the sadle the night's wearing on and the storm is lingering still
The lightning's glare on the restless herd make it seem like a sea's angry swell
As I fall to the ground I can hear the sound of a drover yellin' stampede
Stampede cry stampede the thing that a cowboy fears the most is stampede
For a moment I lay in the mud half dazed I could hear the herd bearin' down
And I crawled in a ditch where a tree came to rest
And I crouched between it and the ground
It seems like a miracle of God's hand it's over and I'm still alive
And I thank the trail boss up in the sky for sparin' me from the stampede
Stampede cry stampede the thing that a cowboy fears the most is stampede
The lyrics of Marty Robbins's song Cry Stampede tell the story of a cowboy caught in the middle of a thunderstorm, fearing the worst as the cattle he is herding becomes agitated and begins to mill around, bellowing in fear. As the storm lingers on, the lightning illuminates the restless herd, making it appear like an angry sea. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning strikes a tree by the cowboy's horse, causing him to fall to the ground. As he hears a drover yell "stampede", the cowboy realizes that his worst fear has come true.
As the cattle bear down on him, the cowboy crawls in a ditch and crouches between a tree and the ground. The stampede passes over him, miraculously sparing his life. The song ends with the cowboy thanking the trail boss in the sky for sparing him from the stampede, while emphasizing that the thing that a cowboy fears the most is a stampede.
The lyrics of Cry Stampede evoke the sense of danger and fear that cowboys face when dealing with a stampede. The powerful imagery of the storm, the agitated cattle, and the lightning strike creates a vivid and dramatic picture of a cowboy's world. The song also conveys the importance of faith and gratitude in such life-threatening situations.
Line by Line Meaning
The night was ablaze with a heavenly fire of lightnin' wind and rain
The stormy night was filled with flashes of lightning, strong winds, and heavy rain.
And the sound of thunder is spookin' the herd and I fear there'll be a stampede
The loud thunder is frightening the cattle, and the singer is worried that they may start a stampede.
The cattle are starting to mill around their bellows strike fear in my heart
The cows are getting restless and moving in circles, and their loud mooing is causing the singer to become anxious.
I know if the storm lasts very much longe there's bound to be a stampede
The artist is aware that if the storm continues, the cows may panic and run, causing a stampede.
Stampede cry stampede the thing that a cowboy fears the most is stampede
The refrain emphasizes that a stampede is a cowboy's worst fear and can be very dangerous.
As I sat in the sadle the night's wearing on and the storm is lingering still
The singer is still on horseback during the long night, and the storm is continuing.
The lightning's glare on the restless herd make it seem like a sea's angry swell
The lightning illuminates the cows, making them look like waves in an angry sea.
Then all of a sudden a bolt of fire strikes the tree where my pony stands
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hits the tree where the artist's horse is standing.
As I fall to the ground I can hear the sound of a drover yellin' stampede
The artist falls off the horse and hears a herder shouting that there is a stampede.
For a moment I lay in the mud half dazed I could hear the herd bearin' down
The artist falls into the mud and is briefly stunned, as the herd of cattle is quickly approaching.
And I crawled in a ditch where a tree came to rest
The singer takes refuge in a ditch where a fallen tree is lying.
And I crouched between it and the ground
The artist crouches down, using the fallen tree as a protective shield against the stampede.
It seems like a miracle of God's hand it's over and I'm still alive
The stampede subsides, and the singer feels grateful to be alive.
And I thank the trail boss up in the sky for sparin' me from the stampede
The singer thanks God for saving them from the stampede.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL D. JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A
on Johnny Fedavo
This is a fantastic, emotional song, thanks to whoever added the meaning behind the lyrics to this song. Makes it easy for some to understand a bit better!