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.
Little Joe the Wrangler
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His days with the roundup they are o'er
Was a year ago last April when he rode into our camp
Just a little Texas stray and nothing more
Was late in the evening when he rode into our camp
On the little Texas pony he called Chaw
With his brogan shoes and overalls a tougher looking kid
His saddle was a Texas kack built many years ago
An OK spur on one foot lightly swung
With his packroll in a cotton sack so loosely tied behind
And a canteen from his saddle horn was slung
He said he had to leave his home his pa had married twice
His new ma whipped him every day or two
So he saddled up old Chaw one night and lit a shuck his way
He said he'd try to paddle his own canoe
He said if we would give him work he'd do the best he could
Though he didn't know straight up about a cow
So the boss he cut him out a mount and kindly put him on
He sorta liked this little kid somehow
He learned to wrangle horses and learned to know them all
And get them in at daybreakk if he could
And to trail the old chuck wagon and always hitch the team
And help to cook each evening rustle wood
We had hardly reached the Pecos the weather it was fine
We were camped down on the south side in a draw
When a northern commenced blowing and we doubled up our guards
It took every one of us to hold them in
Little Joe the Wrangler was called out with the rest
Scarcely had the little fellow reached the herd
When the cattle they stampeded like a hailstorm on they fled
And everyone was ridin' for the lead
Amid the streaks of lightnin' there was one horse up ahead
He was tryin' to check the leaders in their speed
It was little Joe the Wrangler with a slicker o'er his head
He was ridin' Old Blue Rocket in the lead
At last we got them millin' and kinda quited down
And the extra guards back to the wagon went
But there was one a missin' we could see it at a glance
Was our little Texas stray poor Wrangler Joe
Next morning just at daybreak we found where Rocket fell
Down in a washout twenty feet below
Beneath his horse his life had gone his spung had run its knell
Was our little Texas stray poor Wrangler Joe
In the song "Little Joe the Wrangler" by Marty Robbins, the singer describes the brief life and death of a young cowboy named Joe. Joe arrived at their Texas camp, having run away from home after his stepmother abused him. Though he was inexperienced, the boss gave him a job, and Joe quickly learned to wrangle horses and become a valuable member of the team. One night, when a storm hit, the cattle stampeded, and Joe was one of the wranglers called out to help. While trying to lead the cattle back, he rode ahead on his horse, Old Blue Rocket, with a slicker over his head to protect himself from the storm. By morning, however, the other cowboys discovered that Rocket had fallen into a washout, killing Joe in the process.
The lyrics to "Little Joe the Wrangler" capture the harsh and sometimes unforgiving nature of the cowboy lifestyle. Despite his young age and inexperience, Joe was willing to work hard and learn, and the cowboys he worked with respected him for that. The song also touches on themes of isolation and abandonment, as Joe's abusive stepmother provided the impetus for him to leave home.
Line by Line Meaning
Little Joe the Wrangler will wrangle nevermore
Little Joe will never work as a wrangler again.
His days with the roundup they are o'er
Joe's days of working with the cattle roundup are over.
Was a year ago last April when he rode into our camp
Joe came to their camp in April last year.
Just a little Texas stray and nothing more
Joe was a young, homeless kid from Texas.
Was late in the evening when he rode into our camp
Joe arrived at their camp in the evening.
On the little Texas pony he called Chaw
Joe was riding a small horse named Chaw.
With his brogan shoes and overalls a tougher looking kid
Joe was wearing sturdy shoes and overalls that made him look strong.
You never in your life before had saw
You had never seen anyone like Joe before.
His saddle was a Texas kack built many years ago
Joe's saddle was a worn-out Texas kack from many years ago.
An OK spur on one foot lightly swung
Joe wore an OK spur on one foot that swung lightly.
With his packroll in a cotton sack so loosely tied behind
Joe had a sack of his belongings tied loosely behind his saddle.
And a canteen from his saddle horn was slung
Joe had a canteen hanging from his saddle horn.
He said he had to leave his home his pa had married twice
Joe's reason for leaving home was that his father had married twice.
His new ma whipped him every day or two
Joe's stepmom would frequently whip him.
So he saddled up old Chaw one night and lit a shuck his way
One night, Joe rode Chaw away from home to start a new life.
He said he'd try to paddle his own canoe
Joe was determined to make it on his own.
He said if we would give him work he'd do the best he could
Joe asked for work and promised to try his best.
Though he didn't know straight up about a cow
Joe didn't have much experience with cattle.
So the boss he cut him out a mount and kindly put him on
The boss gave Joe a horse to work with and let him join the team.
He sorta liked this little kid somehow
The boss grew to like Joe despite his lack of experience.
He learned to wrangle horses and learned to know them all
Joe learned how to handle the horses and got to know each one.
And get them in at daybreakk if he could
Joe would try to bring the horses back by daybreak.
And to trail the old chuck wagon and always hitch the team
Joe helped to follow the wagon and hook it up to the team of horses.
And help to cook each evening rustle wood
Joe assisted in cooking dinner and gathering wood each night.
We had hardly reached the Pecos the weather it was fine
They had just reached the Pecos River when the weather was nice.
We were camped down on the south side in a draw
Their camp was set up on the south side of the river in a valley.
When a northern commenced blowing and we doubled up our guards
When a northerly wind started blowing, they increased their watch.
It took every one of us to hold them in
All of them together had to work to control the cattle.
Little Joe the Wrangler was called out with the rest
Joe was called out with the other wranglers to help control the cattle.
Scarcely had the little fellow reached the herd
Joe had barely made it to the cattle when they started stampeding.
When the cattle they stampeded like a hailstorm on they fled
The cattle ran away quickly like a hailstorm.
And everyone was ridin' for the lead
Everyone tried to get ahead of the cows to calm them down.
Amid the streaks of lightnin' there was one horse up ahead
Despite the lightning, there was one horse ahead.
He was tryin' to check the leaders in their speed
The rider was trying to slow down and stop the leaders of the cattle.
It was little Joe the Wrangler with a slicker o'er his head
The rider was Joe, wearing a slicker over his head.
He was ridin' Old Blue Rocket in the lead
Joe rode Old Blue Rocket and was leading the cattle herd.
At last we got them millin' and kinda quited down
Eventually, they were able to calm the cattle down and get them milling about.
And the extra guards back to the wagon went
The extra guards returned to the wagon once things calmed down.
But there was one a missin' we could see it at a glance
They realized Joe was missing from the group.
Was our little Texas stray poor Wrangler Joe
It was Joe, the young Texan wrangler, who was missing.
Next morning just at daybreak we found where Rocket fell
The next morning, they discovered where Old Blue Rocket had fallen.
Down in a washout twenty feet below
Rocket fell into a twenty-foot ravine.
Beneath his horse his life had gone his spung had run its knell
Joe was killed underneath Rocket and his life came to an end.
Was our little Texas stray poor Wrangler Joe
Joe, the young Texan wrangler, had passed away.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: N. THORPE, TEX RITTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@charporter3350
Learned to sing this song when I was very little as my Uncle would sing it to all of us kids. I'm now 72 and still love that song
@thomasmcconaughey8324
Seen this man when I was stationed in Hawaii in 1976 or 77 he sang for 3 hours and didn't even take a break best concert I've ever seen
@BarryPostings21
Very envious of your experience, a time I feel you will never forget......
@madaxgaming6405
is this real?
@audreyricci6383
@@madaxgaming6405 Yes, it is real. What did you think it was?
@richardjohnson4238
Marty Robbins got me interested in country music. I had grown up in a country music home, and I HATED it. As a child of the 60's I was into rock and roll...the Beatles, Credence Clearwater and so on. But I was a NASCAR fan too, and there was a guy named Marty Robbins who drove in what then was called "Grand National" racing. The radio people said he was a country music singer. Who was this guy? I wonder what he sounds like. I started listening to the local country station and discovered a world I had ignored most of my life. I can say today, at 67 years old, that my father in heaven is probably laughing at me listening to Marty, Hank, Lefty, Tex, Patsy and so on. And it's all Marty Robbins #42's fault. :)
@rexwallace9477
I am sure that if he (Marty Robbins) were here on but I know for a fact that he is forever alive with Christ Jesus that he claimed as his Lord and Savior he would be very humble and blessed to say that there were artists before,during and after him that are just as good if better.He had a wide genre of a music repertoire unbeknownst to many people in my opinion.The best part of his music was that he honored,praised ,worshipped and loved the Lord.Listen to his song The Master’s call!God bless you one and all!🖤❤️🩹💜🤍❤️💙💚💗💔
@dalelmartin1973
I am so glad that Marty Robbins was a believer in the Christ Jesus! That means that he is with Jesus right now, praise The Lord God!
@bonifaciopuguon9678
Old songs do not really get old.
@terrybrowning3542
My grandpa taught me this song back in the 1950's. Love it ❤️❤️