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.
Over High Mountain
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a valley I'm longin' to see
There lives a maiden who wants be mine
But her family cares nothin' for me
Her Mother knows that her daughter found love
In the arms of a poor mountain man
Her Father tells her, have nothin' to do
Those in the valley have castles and wealth
Does that make them better than I
My dreams are my wealth and I've plenty of them
And my castles reach up to the sky
'Cause I am poor have I no right to love
Even though I am loved in return
True love can never be measured in riches
And money cannot make it burn
Her wealthy Father believes that a man
Should be judged on the ground that he owns
Since I have only the price of an acre
He wants me to leave her alone
But I'm determined, I'm young and I'm strong
It's true love that I'm workin' for
I'll buy me an acre down there in the valley
And soon have a hundred or more
Nola and I will be married and Heaven
Will bless with a boy and a girl
And we'll teach them true love can never be measured
By riches they've gained in this world
The lyrics of Marty Robbins’ song “Over High Mountains” tell the story of a young man who is deeply in love with a woman in a valley nearby, but her family disapproves of him because he comes from a poor mountain clan. Despite their differences, the two are clearly in love and the singer believes that love is more powerful than the wealth and status of the people in the valley. He believes that true love is not measured in riches and that he has the right to be with the woman he loves, even though he does not have as much wealth as some of the other people in the valley. He is determined to work hard and turn his dreams into reality so that he can prove his worth to her family and be with the woman he loves forever.
The song has a strong message about the power of love and equality, regardless of one's social status or wealth. It depicts the struggle that many people face when it comes to finding and keeping true love, particularly when social norms and financial disparities get in the way. The song’s melody and gentle voice of the singer contribute to its emotive impact, which is both heartwarming and full of profound truths.
Line by Line Meaning
Over high mountains not too far away
There is a valley beyond a range of mountains nearby where I yearn to go.
Is a valley I'm longin' to see
I have a strong desire to see a valley in the distance.
There lives a maiden who wants be mine
In that valley resides a lady who desires to be my beloved.
But her family cares nothin' for me
Unfortunately, the girl's relatives don't like me at all.
Her Mother knows that her daughter found love
Her mother is aware that her daughter has fallen in love.
In the arms of a poor mountain man
She has given her heart to a man who is impoverished and from the mountains.
Her Father tells her, have nothin' to do
Her father has instructed her to avoid me.
With the boy from the high mountain clan
He doesn't want his daughter to be involved with a man from the high mountain group.
Those in the valley have castles and wealth
The valley's inhabitants possess riches like castles.
Does that make them better than I
Just because they are wealthy doesn't imply they are superior to me.
My dreams are my wealth and I've plenty of them
My aspirations are my richness, and I have numerous materialized dreams.
And my castles reach up to the sky
My dreams are so big that they reach the sky, like towering castles.
'Cause I am poor have I no right to love
Being poor does not deprive me of the right to love.
Even though I am loved in return
Even if my affection is requited.
True love can never be measured in riches
Authentic love cannot be evaluated through wealth.
And money cannot make it burn
Money's influence cannot fuel nor extinguish true love's fire.
Her wealthy Father believes that a man
Her father who is wealthy believes that a man.
Should be judged on the ground that he owns
A man's worth is measured in property and possession.
Since I have only the price of an acre
Since all I have is the value of an acre.
He wants me to leave her alone
He desires me to leave his daughter and give up on our relationship.
But I'm determined, I'm young and I'm strong
Nevertheless, I'm confident, lively, and tenacious.
It's true love that I'm workin' for
My intention is genuine love.
I'll buy me an acre down there in the valley
I'll purchase a land in the valley below.
And soon have a hundred or more
I'll amass more than a hundred acres in due time.
Nola and I will be married and Heaven
Nola and I shall wed, and the heavens.
Will bless with a boy and a girl
Will bestow us with a male and female offspring.
And we'll teach them true love can never be measured
We'll tutor them that true love defies quantification.
By riches they've gained in this world
It cannot be evaluated by the worldly wealth they may have accumulated.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tarquin45
In my opinion this song has strong echoes of Britain in that Marty refers to the 'high mountain clan' and 'castles.' To me this is Marty writing a folk song about a land over the sea that at the time he wrote it he had never visited.
Linda Nicholson
I didn't realize there were 2 versions here. The way I know the song is the first one. I've loved it since the first time I heard it.
jhtenvelde
Again it is like you are reading a book,this man tells short novels about the west and the men and women who lived then,it is great as always,thank tou Tarquin.
Primrose Haran
really beautiful song sung by the superb marty the best
Deborah Dyess
wonderfuk as always thanks for sharing tarquin. this also sounds like it could come from ireland or even scotland and definitely the old west
Egon Velders
finally i found this song :D thnx for sharing!!
Rosie Baker
I love my choices if i
Could
Rosie Baker
I fight him i went yo hospital cos i dont eat to much stress