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.
Song of the Islands
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where skies of blue are calling me
Where balmy air and golden moonlight
Caress the waving palms of Wai KiKi
Valleys with their rainbows
Your mountains green, and deep blue sea
Your fragrant flowers and dreamy music
Unite and sing a alohahi to me
Islands of Hawaii
Where skies of blue are calling me
Where balmy air and golden moonlight
Caress the waving palms of Wai KiKi
Valleys with their rainbows
Your mountains green, and deep blue sea
Your fragrant flowers and dreamy music
Unite and sing a alohahi to me
The lyrics of "Song of the Islands" by Marty Robbins describe the beauty and allure of the Hawaiian Islands. The opening lines speak of the beckoning blue skies of Hawaii that call out to the singer. The balmy air and golden moonlight, along with the swaying palms of Wai KiKi, create a picturesque image of Hawaii, a tropical paradise. The valleys with their rainbows, the green mountains, and the deep blue sea are all elements that add to the natural beauty of the islands, described in the lyrics.
The lyrics further highlight the fragrant flowers and dreamy music of Hawaii, which unites and sings an "alohahi" to the singer. The term "alohahi" likely refers to the warm and welcoming spirit of the Hawaiian people, which translates to "love" in the Hawaiian language. The lyrics are an ode to the natural beauty and cultural richness of Hawaii, a place that the singer longs to return to.
Line by Line Meaning
Islands of Hawaii
The Hawaiian islands
Where skies of blue are calling me
The clear and inviting blue skies that are beckoning me to Hawaii
Where balmy air and golden moonlight
The warm and soothing atmosphere along with the picturesque golden moonlight
Caress the waving palms of Wai KiKi
The gentle touch of the breezy air on the swaying palm trees of Wai KiKi
Valleys with their rainbows
The beautiful rainbow-filled valleys of Hawaii
Your mountains green, and deep blue sea
The lush green mountains contrasted with the deep blue sea
Your fragrant flowers and dreamy music
The sweet aroma of Hawaiian flowers and the enchanting melodies of Hawaiian music
Unite and sing a alohahi to me
All these natural wonders and cultural aspects come together to sing and express the Hawaiian greeting, aloha, to me
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: JACK PITMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Josephine Oliver
Exquisite! Takes me back to my childhood, my Mum had this album 🎤🎶🌺🌴🌿
Primrose Haran
simply stunning love this song and love marty the greatest singer ever thank you for this post