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.
I'll Know You're Gone
Marty Robbins Lyrics
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I'll know you're gone
(I'll know you're gone)
By the way the little birds don't sing
I'll know you're gone
(I'll know you're gone)
By the way the little bells don't ring
And the moon won't glow
I'd lie to myself but my heart would know
My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong
Well, you can fool lots of things
But this little heart knows
What's gonna happen from the start
When you pack your bags to go away
It knows it's the one who has to pay
I'll know you're gone
(I'll know you're gone)
'Cause the days 'ill all be long
I'll know you're gone
(I'll know you're gone)
'Cause the rivers won't roll on
I'll know 'cause ships won't sail
And the planes won't fly
I'd raise my head but they'd see me cry
My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong
Well, you can fool lots of things
But this little heart knows
What's gonna happen from the start
When you pack your bags to go away
It knows it's the one who has to pay
I'll know you're gone
(I'll know you're gone)
'Cause the days 'ill all be long
I'll know you're gone
(I'll know you're gone)
'Cause the rivers won't roll on
I'll know 'cause ships won't sail
And the planes won't fly
I'd raise my head but they'd see me cry
My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong
My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong
The lyrics of "I'll Know You're Gone" by Marty Robbins express the deep pain and sadness of losing someone special. The song gives voice to the heartbroken protagonist who knows that the person they love is leaving them. The first verse of the song sets the tone of the pending loss; "My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong". The singer is already feeling anxious and heartbroken, and this sense of anticipation of loss is present throughout the song. The second verse is a statement about the fact that "this little heart knows" what is going to happen even before it does. The chorus repeats the idea that the heartbroken protagonist will know when they're gone, making use of images such as the "little birds" not singing and the "little bells" not ringing to symbolize the emptiness and solitariness that will follow. The singer, in deep sorrow, acknowledges that they cannot deceive themselves and that, despite their best efforts, they will know that their loved one is gone.
The lyrics of "I'll Know You're Gone" eloquently capture the intense emotions of losing someone close to you. The song expresses how the heart knows things that the mind cannot grasp, emphasizing the power of intuition and deep feelings. It speaks to the human desire to hold onto what is precious and beautiful, even if it means experiencing the pain of losing it. And finally, the song acknowledges the limitations of the human heart in attempting to come to terms with loss, with the singer helplessly saying, "My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong."
Line by Line Meaning
My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong
My intuition tells me that something is wrong, as I can feel my heart racing uneasily.
I'll know you're gone (I'll know you're gone) By the way the little birds don't sing
If I notice that the birds aren't singing, I'll come to the realization that you're no longer here with me.
I'll know you're gone (I'll know you're gone) By the way the little bells don't ring
Just like how I can tell when the birds aren't singing, I'll also know you're gone if I don't hear the little bells ringing.
I'll know 'cause the sun won't shine And the moon won't glow I'd lie to myself but my heart would know
Even if I try to deceive myself, my heart will still know that you're gone, because everything around me will be dark and dull.
Well, you can fool lots of things But this little heart knows What's gonna happen from the start When you pack your bags to go away It knows it's the one who has to pay
While you might be able to fool other people or things, this little heart always knows the risks of allowing you to leave, and it is the one that will suffer the consequences when you ultimately depart.
I'll know you're gone (I'll know you're gone) 'Cause the days 'ill all be long
If I feel like every day drags on and on, I'll know that it's because you're no longer here with me.
I'll know you're gone (I'll know you're gone) 'Cause the rivers won't roll on
If I don't see any movement in the rivers, I'll know that you're no longer around to make them flow.
I'll know 'cause ships won't sail And the planes won't fly I'd raise my head but they'd see me cry
Even when I try to hold my head up high, I'll know that you're gone because nothing in the world will be quite the same without you, and I'll be too emotional to hide it.
My little heart 'ill goes ping, something's gone wrong
As the realization hits me that you're gone, my heart will quicken its pace and remind me that something is amiss.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEE EMERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank Childs
Wonderful song, sounds like had fun doing this!