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.
How Long Will It Be
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh darlin', how long will it be
If you knew how my arms long to hold you each night
Oh darlin', how long will it be
Will it be just a while or a long, long time
Long as my heart knows, then everything is fine
I'll wait just as long as these eyes of mine can see
Will it be just a while or a long, long time
Long as my heart knows, then everything is fine
I'll wait just as long as these eyes of mine can see
A vision of you but how long will it be
The lyrics of Marty Robbins's song "How Long Will It Be?" express the longing desire of the singer to hold his loved one. The refrain of the song repeats the question, "How long will it be?" in anticipation of the day he can finally embrace his beloved. The lyrics suggest the singer's willingness to wait as long as necessary and endure the distance between them until they are reunited.
The lyrics also reveal the singer's heartfelt yearning for the one he loves. He expresses that his arms long to hold her each night, and he waits for a vision of her to appear in his eyes. The singer is willing to bear the agony of waiting as long as his heart is aware of her love. The song's hopeful tone and wistful melody capture the universal experience of longing for someone who is far away or out of reach.
Overall, "How Long Will It Be?" is a love ballad with a timeless quality that resonates with anyone who has experienced the ache of separation and yearning for a loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
How long will it be before I hold you tight
I am eagerly waiting to hold you tight, how long should I wait for this to happen?
Oh darlin', how long will it be
I am lovingly addressing you, how much longer until we can be together?
If you knew how my arms long to hold you each night
My arms ache to hold you every night, if only you knew how much I love you.
Oh darlin', how long will it be
I am deeply in love with you, and cannot wait until we can be together again.
Will it be just a while or a long, long time
Will our separation be brief or an extended period of time?
Long as my heart knows, then everything is fine
As long as my heart is assured that we will be together, I can wait with patience.
I'll wait just as long as these eyes of mine can see
I will remain steadfast in waiting for you, for as long as I am able to see a vision of you before me.
A vision of you but how long will it be
As I envision you in my mind's eye, I can't help but wonder how much longer we will be apart.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEE EMERSON
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!