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.
The Wind Goes
Marty Robbins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The winds are set today
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh-ooh
Since you went away
There is no gladness
Since there's no you
The winds go
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
How very strange that I
Find comfort when I lie
And tell my heart that she
Belongs to me
But, still, the winds know
Because the winds go
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
In Marty Robbins's song The Wind Goes, the lyrics express the feeling of sadness and emptiness after someone, perhaps a lover or a close friend, has left. The wind, which is mentioned repeatedly, symbolizes the passing of time and the inevitable change it brings. The singer acknowledges that since this person left, there is no longer any gladness in their life. The repeated phrase "Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh-ooh" gives a haunting and melancholy feel to the song, emphasizing the weight of the singer's emotions.
The singer then admits to finding comfort in lying to themselves, telling their heart that this person still belongs to them. However, they recognize that the winds know the truth of the situation. The winds represent a kind of universal truth or impartial witness to the events of our lives. No matter how we try to deceive ourselves or ignore the truth, the winds always blow, reminding us of what has passed and what is to come.
Overall, The Wind Goes is a poignant and evocative song that captures the sadness and hopelessness that can come with loss. It reminds us that some things are beyond our control and that even when we try to deny or ignore the truth, it will always be there.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh-ooh
The song begins with the vocalist expressing his feelings with the help of an emotional tone.
The winds are set today
The winds are blowing fiercely today.
Since you went away
Ever since you left me, I've been feeling sad and lonely.
There is no gladness
My life has lost all its happiness.
Since there's no you
The reason for my despondency is that you are not with me anymore.
The winds go
The winds continue to howl and remind me of your absence.
How very strange that I
The vocalist is perplexed by his feelings.
Find comfort when I lie
He is trying to console himself by creating false stories.
And tell my heart that she
He is trying to convince himself that his lover still loves him.
Belongs to me
He wants to believe that he still has her heart.
But, still, the winds know
Despite his efforts to deceive himself, the winds continue to remind him of reality.
Because the winds go
The winds serve as a constant reminder of his loss and loneliness.
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
The song ends on a melancholic note with the emotional tone still present in the vocals.
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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!