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.
Sweet Lies
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heard every word as I stood out of sight
Just like a fool everything he believed
Nothin' but sweet lies she once told to me
Foolhearted boy, should I tell what I know
Just how she'll win love and then let it go
Too much in love and too far gone to see
Once he starts fallin' he won't wanna stop
She'll build him up high and then let him drop
Down with the others who never could see
It's only sweet lies she once told to me
Once he starts fallin' he won't wanna stop
She'll build him up high and then let him drop
Down with the others who never could see
It's only sweet lies she once told to me
The lyrics of Marty Robbins's Sweet Lies tell a story of a heartbroken man who watches as the woman he was once in love with, shares a tender moment with another man. The singer is in agony as he remembers the sweet and false promises that she once made to him. He is consumed with the dilemma of whether to tell the new guy about the deceptions he once fell for but decides against it because he knows he is too far gone in love to see the truth. In the closing lines of the song, he cautions that once the new guy starts falling for her, she will build him up to drop him down, just like she once did with the singer and countless others before.
Line by Line Meaning
I watched as he held her and kissed her goodnight
I observed the scene unfold as he embraced her and kissed her goodnight.
Heard every word as I stood out of sight
Concealed from view, I heard each spoken syllable.
Just like a fool everything he believed
He was naive and gullible, accepting all as factual.
Nothin' but sweet lies she once told to me
Nothing was truthful, merely sweet lies directed towards me.
Foolhearted boy, should I tell what I know
Perhaps I should inform this foolish boy with my knowledge.
Just how she'll win love and then let it go
Informing him of how she'll obtain his affection and subsequently leave him.
Too much in love and too far gone to see
He loves too deeply and is too far invested to recognize the truth.
It's only sweet lies she once told to me
Only false statements of love were spoken to me.
Once he starts fallin' he won't wanna stop
Once he begins to love her, he won't desire to cease.
She'll build him up high and then let him drop
She will exalt him and drop him down, leading him to emotion shatter.
Down with the others who never could see
One of many others who were blind to her manipulative ways.
It's only sweet lies she once told to me
Only false statements of love were spoken to me.
Contributed by Ava N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dash Kharrngi
Marty Robbins, my favourite Singer, I love him and I love his songs, I love this song too👍 👍 . Thanks for this Video. I love seeing Marty Robbins singing Live.😊
Burek King
Wait no comments? That is weird...
Dash Kharrngi
Yeah it's really really weird for the Marty Robbins's fans who love him but didn't comment about his performance!! Hahaha...😂