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.
Life
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The story of my life
I'll tell about the night we met
And how my heart can't forget
The way you smiled at me
I want the world to know
The story of my life
And that first exciting time
I held you close to me
The sorrow in our love was breakin' up
The memory of a broken heart
Then later on, the joy of makin' up
Never never more to part
There's one thing left to do
Before my story's through
I've got to take you for my wife
So the story of my life
Can start and end with you
The sorrow in our love was breakin' up
The memory of a broken heart
Then later on, the joy of makin' up
Never never more to part
There's one thing left to do
Before my story's through
I've got to take you for my wife
So the story of my life
Can start and end
Can start and end
Can start and end with you
The song "Life" by Marty Robbins reflects on the meaning of life and whether or not one has made a positive impact on the world. The lyrics suggest that the singer is reflecting on their life and pondering what they have accomplished. They question whether they have caused anyone to sing a happy song or brought joy to others. The singer goes on to say that they have lived their life every day and every way possible, despite some moments of wrongdoing. They acknowledge that life has been fast at times, but they do not regret anything they have done.
Furthermore, the singer also mentions that if they have caused tears to fall, then they were unaware of it, and if there are tears that must fall yet, then they hope that they will be their own. The lyrics stress that the singer has enjoyed life and its every moment, and every day has been good for them since life began. They appreciate life as a friend, and when it comes time for the end, they would like to live it all again.
The song's message is inspiring, and one can take away from it to appreciate life and make the most out of every moment. Life is precious, and one should cherish every second of it. The song "Life" encourages listeners to be better and to live up to their potential as human beings.
Line by Line Meaning
Have I accomplished anything,
Reflecting on my life, I wonder if I've achieved anything of value,
have I caused anyone to sing
and if I've made a positive impact on others, bringing happiness to their lives.
A happy song?
I hope that my actions have led to more joy and positivity in the world.
I've lived it every day
I've experienced every moment of my life, both good and bad,
I've lived it every way
and I've taken different paths, tried various things, and had a range of experiences.
Though some of it was wrong
While I've made mistakes, I've learned and grown from them.
Some of it's been fast
I've had moments of excitement and adrenaline rush,
I've lived a happy past
and overall, I've had a joyful and fulfilling life.
I don't regret a thing you see
Despite my missteps and regrets, I wouldn't change a thing because it's all led me to where I am now.
After all is said and done,
Looking back on my life, when everything's been accounted for,
I've lived each moment one by one
I can say that I've truly lived in the present and appreciated every moment.
Life's been good to me
Overall, my experience of life has been positive and enriching.
If I have caused on tear to fall
If there's a time when I've brought sadness or pain to someone,
It was unknown
I wasn't aware of it at the time and I regret any hurt I've unintentionally caused.
If there are tears that must fall yet
If there are still difficult times ahead where tears are inevitable,
I pray that, life, you'll let them be my own
I hope that I can bear my own burdens and face my own struggles without causing pain to others.
So when it comes time for the end
As I reach the end of my life,
I'd like to live it all again
I only wish that I could live my life over again, experiencing everything anew.
'Cause life you've been my friend
I'm grateful to life, for all the joy and meaning it's brought to me over the years.
I've enjoyed it as I should
I've tried my best to make the most of my life and savor every moment,
And every day of its been good since life began
and fortunately, I've enjoyed a lifetime of positivity and fulfillment.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, HAL DAVID
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!