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.
It's Driving Me Crazy
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Travelin' alone from town to town
Time brings nothin' but thoughts of you
Makin' me lonely makin' me blue
And it's drivin' me crazy but what can I do
Well I can't stay away and I can't stay home
Nothin' but the blues since you've been gone
To make me suffer both day and night
And it's drivin' me crazy but what can I do
If I behave like I ought to do
And do the things you want me to
Well, you've come back just one more time
And drive the blues out of my mind
Well I remember the way that you smile
The way you kiss and your special style
I remember your love for me
The love that I treated so carelessly
And it's drivin' me crazy but what can I do
Well if I behave like I ought to do
And do the things you want me to
Well, you've come back just one more time
And drive the blues out of my mind
Well I remember the way that you smile
The way you kiss and your special style
I remember your love for me
The love that I treated so carelessly
And it's drivin' me crazy but what can I do
In Marty Robbins's song "It's Driving Me Crazy," the singer is expressing the emotional turmoil he's going through due to his separation from his lover. As he travels from town to town, he thinks of her continuously and feels lonely and blue. He is aware that he was wrong but it's too late now. He can't stay away, but he can't go back to her either. He is trapped in a condition where the pain of being apart from his lover is driving him crazy, and he feels helpless in the situation. The singer's regret over his past mistreatment of his lover is evident in the lyrics. The line "The love that I treated so carelessly" shows that he realizes his mistake and the impact it has had on his life.
The chorus, "And it's driving me crazy but what can I do," highlights the helplessness and desperation of the singer. He is stuck in this painful condition no matter how much he wants to be with his lover. However, towards the end of the song, he addresses his lover, stating that he will behave the way she wants him to and do the things she wants him to do in the hope that she will come back to him and drive the blues out of his mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I don't like this roamin' around
I'm not enjoying traveling alone without you
Travelin' alone from town to town
I'm constantly on the move, but I'm not happy being away from you
Time brings nothin' but thoughts of you
All I can think about is being with you
Makin' me lonely makin' me blue
My loneliness is causing me sadness and depression
And it's drivin' me crazy but what can I do
My situation is causing me to go insane, but I feel helpless to change it
Well I can't stay away and I can't stay home
I can't find a place where I feel content without you
Nothin' but the blues since you've been gone
My mood has been consistently sad since you left
I was wrong but I know it's not right
I acknowledge that I made a mistake, but I don't deserve to suffer as much as I am
To make me suffer both day and night
My emotional pain is constant, not just limited to a certain time of day
If I behave like I ought to do
If I start acting how you want me to
And do the things you want me to
Completing tasks that would make you happy
Well, you've come back just one more time
I hope that if I change, you'll come back to me
And drive the blues out of my mind
Your return would cure my sadness and depression
I remember your love for me
I often think about the feelings you had for me
The love that I treated so carelessly
I didn't take your love seriously, and now I regret that
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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!