He was performing very much in the rock n roll piano style of his cousin Jerry Lee Lewis (and another cousin, the Reverend Jimmy Swaggart). He formed his own label, Astro in 1964 and cut an album named after a Lewis success "Down the Line". Re-issued on Paula, the album was a regional hit. The big time, however, continued to elude him although he had a minor hit with "Now I Can Live Again" from the album. At an Astro session he laid down a version of George Morgan's old hit "Room Full of Roses" which attracted airplay locally and was picked up for national release by Hugh Heffner's Playboy label. It hit No. 1 in the Country charts. After 12 further hits with the label, Playboy was taken over by Epic and Gilley moved there for his most consistent run of album and singles success.
He was now performing straight-up piano-led Country material. Gradually, he moved towards a more pop-orientated sound in the 1980s, which brought him further success on not just the Country charts, but also the Pop charts. Before that, however, he had a string of Country hits throughout the 70s, often revivals like "I Overlooked An Orchid" (Carl Smith - No. 1, 1974), "City Lights" (Bill Anderson - No. 1 1975), "Window Up Above" (George Jones - No. 1 1975), "Bring It On Home" (Sam Cooke - No. 1 1976). His mix of rockabilly, honky tonk and uptown Country provided more hits with "Chains of Love" (No. 9, 1977) "Honky Tonk Memories" (No. 4, 1977) and "Here Comes The Hurt Again" (No. 9,1978).
In all, Gilley had 33 Top 10 singles, 17 of which reached No. 1, on the US Country chart between 1974 and 1986. Amongst the biggest hits were "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time,"(No. 1) "Overnight Sensation" (No. 7, both 1976), remakes of the Ben E King hit "Stand By Me" and Buddy Holly's "True Love Ways" (both No. 1s in 1980).
In 1971 he lent his name to the opening the famous country nightclub Gilley's in Pasadena, Texas. His career received a big boost when both the club and his music featured prominently in the 1980 film "Urban Cowboy". The soundtrack included the Buddy Holly cover which went to No. 1. The club closed in 1989 and the building was heavily damaged by arson later that year. A new Gilley's club opened in 2003 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. And Gilley's Theatre and Diner in Branson saw the singer take up a successful residency in that Missouri city.
His most recent successful recording activity was in 1988 when he released "Chasin' Rainbows" on Airborne which produced his last Top 40 single to date when "She Reminded Me Of You" reached No 23 in the Country charts.
In July 2009, Gilly suffered a back injury in a fall and was airlifted to Houston for medical treatment but subsequently returned to Branson and performing in his theatre there. He has a Facebook information page on which he sends regular video messages to members. A recent joint biography about the three cousins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggert and Mickey, called "Unconquered" by J D Davis is a must for any fan of their music, rock n roll, Country and gospel music.
In The Garden
Mickey Gilley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
None other has ever known.
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known...
The lyrics of Mickey Gilley’s “In The Garden” invite listeners to join the singer in a peaceful and contemplative space, where he is alone with his thoughts and surrounded by natural beauty. The garden, with its dewy roses and gentle sounds, symbolizes a place of spiritual renewal and connection with God. The singer hears the voice of the Son of God, revealing His love and presence to him. In response, the singer experiences a deep sense of joy, shared only between him and God, as they spend time together in the garden.
Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes the intimacy of his relationship with God, characterized by walking and talking side by side, and the sweetness of God’s voice, which has the power to silence even the birds in the garden. Additionally, the melody that God shares with the singer is said to echo in his heart, a subtle yet powerful reminder of God’s presence in his life.
Interpreting these lyrics, one could see the garden as a metaphor for a person’s inner life, where they can find peace and connection with something greater than themselves. The song speaks to the universal human desire for connection with the divine, as well as the joy and comfort that can be found in such a connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I come to the garden alone
I come to this peaceful garden by myself
While the dew is still on the roses,
When the morning dew still clings to the rose petals
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear
I hear a voice that seems to speak directly to me
The Son of God discloses.
It's the voice of the Son of God revealing himself to me
And He walks with me
He walks beside me
And He talks with me
He speaks to me
And He tells me I am His own
He assures me that I belong to Him
And the joy we share as we tarry there
Together we experience a joy that's impossible to put into words
None other has ever known.
It's a joy that no one else has ever experienced
He speaks and the sound of His voice
When He speaks, His voice is so beautiful
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
The birds stop chirping just to listen to Him
And the melody that He gave to me
He gives me a beautiful melody
Within my heart is ringing.
And it resonates within my heart
Contributed by Charlie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.