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.
Tennessee Toddy
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just a-hoppin' along like two little toadsâ?¦
I looked down at her; I said, â??What can we do?â??
She said, â??Let's go someplace where we can hop to the blues!â??
I said, â??I don't know a place where we can do such a thingâ?¦â??
She said, â??I know a place, and, man, it's just a dream!
It's just a little spot on the outside of town
So we went to a place called â??Everybody'sâ??
There I met a little chick called â??the Tennessee Toddyâ??â?¦
The reason she was called â??the Tennessee Toddyâ??
Was that she was all legs with a little bitty body,
But that cat could go, yeah, she was gone, gone, along gone,
And I'll tell you all about it in the very next verse of my song.
She was long and lean like a green string bean:
Calm and collected and cool and keen!
She was all of this and a whole lot more;
When my baby saw me watching her, she threw me out the door
And we were gone, yeah, we were gone, along gone,
And I'll tell you more about it in the very next verse of my song.
I took my baby home and she said, â??Good nightâ?¦â??
She said, â??Be real good and sleep real tight!â??
I rushed right back to Everybody's
'Cause I had to get acquainted with the Tennessee Toddy!
So I left, yeah, I was gone, gone, along gone,
And I'll tell you more about it in the very next verse of my song.
I was back there jumpin' with Toddy at three
When in walked a gent twice as big as me
He looked real mean and mad and sore;
He made for me and I made for the door,
Just a-runnin', yeah, I was gone, gone, along gone,
And there ain't no more, so this is the end of my songâ?¦
©Acuff-Rose Publications
The song "Tennessee Toddy" by Marty Robbins is about a young couple who decide to go out and have some fun. They are walking down the road, looking for a place to dance and have a good time when they stumble upon a little club called "Everybody's." One of the performers there is a woman called "the Tennessee Toddy," who is known for her long legs and excellent dancing skills. The singer becomes entranced by her and spends the rest of the night dancing with her, enjoying her company thoroughly. However, towards the end of the song, a large man comes into the club, and the singer must flee, leaving the Tennessee Toddy behind.
The song is a vivid portrayal of the joys of youth and the reckless abandon that often accompanies it. The young couple in the song is looking to escape their mundane lives and have some fun, and they find it in the form of a club and its performers. The Tennessee Toddy is a symbol of that carefree spirit, with her legs that seemingly go on forever and her talent for dancing. The song ends on a dramatic note, with the singer forced to run from danger, leaving behind the woman who caught his eye earlier in the night.
Overall, "Tennessee Toddy" is an exciting and fun song, with a hint of danger and darkness towards the end. It portrays the nostalgia and excitement of youth and the desire to have a good time, no matter what the cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, me and my baby was a-walkin' down the road
Just a-hoppin' along like two little toadsâ?¦
The singer and his girlfriend were walking and having fun when they had the idea to go someplace where they can have even more fun.
I looked down at her; I said, â??What can we do?â??
She said, â??Let's go someplace where we can hop to the blues!â??
The singer and his girlfriend were brainstorming for a fun activity, and the girlfriend suggested going someplace where they can listen to Blues and dance.
I said, â??I don't know a place where we can do such a thingâ?¦
She said, â??I know a place, and, man, it's just a dream!
It's just a little spot on the outside of town
Where we can really pick 'em up and put 'em down!â??
The singer expressed doubt about the girl's suggestion, but the girlfriend knew of a perfect spot outside of town where they can kick their heels and dance to the Blues to their heart's content.
So we went to a place called â??Everybody'sâ??
There I met a little chick called â??the Tennessee Toddyâ??â?¦
The reason she was called â??the Tennessee Toddyâ??
Was that she was all legs with a little bitty body,
But that cat could go, yeah, she was gone, gone, along gone,
And I'll tell you all about it in the very next verse of my song.
They went to a spot called 'Everybody's' where the artist met a woman called the Tennessee Toddy. She was called that because of her long legs and small body, but she was an excellent dancer.
She was long and lean like a green string bean:
Calm and collected and cool and keen!
She was all of this and a whole lot more;
When my baby saw me watching her, she threw me out the door
And we were gone, yeah, we were gone, along gone,
And I'll tell you more about it in the very next verse of my song.
The Tennessee Toddy was tall and composed with a lot of admirable qualities. When the artist's girlfriend caught him ogling at Toddy, she got angry and left with him to find a new spot.
I took my baby home and she said, â??Good nightâ?¦â??
She said, â??Be real good and sleep real tight!â??
I rushed right back to Everybody's
'Cause I had to get acquainted with the Tennessee Toddy!
So I left, yeah, I was gone, gone, along gone,
And I'll tell you more about it in the very next verse of my song.
The singer's girlfriend left after a fun night, while the singer rushed back to 'Everybody's' to find the Tennessee Toddy and dance with her again.
I was back there jumpin' with Toddy at three
When in walked a gent twice as big as me
He looked real mean and mad and sore;
He made for me and I made for the door,
Just a-runnin', yeah, I was gone, gone, along gone,
And there ain't no more, so this is the end of my songâ?¦
At three o'clock in the morning, a big guy walked in looking angry, and the singer ran for the door, ending his story there.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARTY ROBBINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Therlang Kharrngi
Damn! That's really a hit Rockabilly song!
Therlang Kharrngi
I love Marty Robbins so much. The way he sang made my heart melted.
Corey Harrison
A thirty year old
Marty Robbins.