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.
Crying Steel Guitar Waltz
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it played the night I lost her
Yes you drove her to another
With your sweet Hawaiian chimes
I know your sorry, but it's too late now
And I know you meant no harm
But the waltz that you were playin'
Put her in another's arms
Cry steel guitar, cry on
Your crying because you know she is gone
Gone with another and I'm all alone
So cry steel guitar, cry on.
Cry steel guitar, cry on
You're cryin' because you know she is gone
Gone with another and I'm all alone
Cry steel guitar, cry on
In Marty Robbins's classic country song "Crying Steel Guitar Waltz," the singer is addressing the titular steel guitar, which he feels is responsible for the loss of his lover. He remembers the night he first met her, when the steel guitar was playing sweet Hawaiian tunes, and the night he lost her, when those same tunes drove her into the arms of another. The singer acknowledges that the steel guitar likely did not intend to cause harm, but the music it played put his lover in another man's embrace. As the song progresses, the singer implores the steel guitar to cry on, as it knows she is gone and he is left alone.
The image of the steel guitar as a mournful, crying instrument is a powerful one, and it reinforces the idea of music as a source of emotional expression. The loss of the singer's lover is heightened by the fact that it was caused by the very thing that brought them together in the first place - the steel guitar's music. The fact that the steel guitar is depicted as having agency, and even a sense of remorse, adds an interesting layer to the song's emotional landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
The steel guitar played I met her
I first encountered her while the steel guitar played
And it played the night I lost her
The night I lost her, the steel guitar was playing
Yes you drove her to another
Your sweet Hawaiian chimes led her to another
With your sweet Hawaiian chimes
The sound of your sweet Hawaiian chimes
I know your sorry, but it's too late now
I realize you meant no harm, but it's too late
And I know you meant no harm
I recognize that you did not intend harm
But the waltz that you were playin'
The waltz that you were playing
Put her in another's arms
Led her into the arms of another
Cry steel guitar, cry on
Continue playing, steel guitar, as you cry
Your crying because you know she is gone
You're crying because you know she's no longer here
Gone with another and I'm all alone
She's gone with someone else, and I am alone
So cry steel guitar, cry on.
Continue crying as you play, steel guitar.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIMMY SWEENEY
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!