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.
Misty
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I feel like I'm clinging to a cloud I can't understand
I get misty holding your hand
Walk my way and a thousand violins began to play
Or it might be the sound of your hello
This music I hear I get misty whenever you're near
You can say that you lead me on but it's just what I want you to do
On my own would I wander through this wonderland alone
Never knowing my right foot from my left, my hat from my glove
I'm so misty and so much in love
You can say that you lead me on...
Misty and so much in love
The lyrics of Marty Robbins's song "Misty" tell a story of a person who is hopelessly in love with someone they are with. The opening lines, "Look at me I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree, And I feel like I'm clinging to a cloud I can't understand" convey the helplessness and confusion the person feels because of their love. The person feels misty, unable to think clearly or understand their emotions, whenever they are with the one they love. The next lines, "I get misty holding your hand, Walk my way and a thousand violins began to play, Or it might be the sound of your hello, This music I hear I get misty whenever you're near," depict the overwhelming effect the presence of their love has on the person, making them feel like they are in a fairytale.
The chorus, "You can say that you lead me on but it's just what I want you to do, Don't you notice how hopelessly I'm lost that's why I'm following you," shows the person admitting to following their love obsessively, and not caring even if they are being led on. The person is so overwhelmed by their love that they are willing to do anything to be with their love. The final lines, "On my own would I wander through this wonderland alone, Never knowing my right foot from my left, my hat from my glove, I'm so misty and so much in love" conveys the theme of how the person would be lost and aimless without their love, and how their love gives them direction and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at me I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree
I feel vulnerable, and as helpless as a kitten stuck in a tree.
And I feel like I'm clinging to a cloud I can't understand
I feel like I'm holding onto something intangible, like a cloud that I cannot make sense of.
I get misty holding your hand
I become emotional and overwhelmed with feelings when I hold your hand.
Walk my way and a thousand violins began to play
When you are near me, it feels like a musical symphony is playing in the background.
Or it might be the sound of your hello
Even your simple greeting, 'hello', can evoke strong emotions in me.
This music I hear I get misty whenever you're near
Your presence creates such an overwhelming feeling in me, that it's as if I'm hearing a beautiful melody.
You can say that you lead me on but it's just what I want you to do
Even though you may be leading me on, it's exactly what I want from you.
Don't you notice how hopelessly I'm lost that's why I'm following you
I am so deeply in love with you that I feel lost without you, and that is why I follow you.
On my own would I wander through this wonderland alone
Without you, I would be lost in this beautiful world and unable to navigate it alone.
Never knowing my right foot from my left, my hat from my glove
I would be totally lost and disoriented, without a sense of direction or distinction between even basic things.
I'm so misty and so much in love
I am so deeply emotional and overwhelmed with feelings because of my love for you.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Erroll Garner, Johnny Burke
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!