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.
What Am I Living For
Mickey Gilley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What am I longing for, if not for you,
What am I living for, if not for you,
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do.
I want you close to me, that's all I know,
I want you all the time,
Darling, I love you so.
What am I longing for, each lonely night,
To feel your lips close to mine, and hold you tight
You'll be the my only girl, my whole life through,
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do.
--- Instrumental ---
What am I longing for, each lonely night,
To feel your lips and mine, and hold you tight
You'll be my only girl, my whole life through,
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do.
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do...
The lyrics of Mickey Gilley's song "What am I living for" express a deep sense of love and longing for someone special. The singer is expressing that they cannot imagine living their life without this person and that nobody else will do. The opening lines of "What am I living for, if not for you, what am I longing for, if not for you," set the tone for the song, making it clear that the singer's existence is closely tied to the object of their affection.
The song continues as the singer expresses their desire to have this person close to them all the time, and how much they love them. The chorus repeats the sentiment of the opening lines, emphasizing just how important this person is to the singer. The instrumental section serves to allow the listener to ponder and reflect on the emotions that are being expressed in the lyrics.
The final verse reiterates the original message of the song, that the singer longs to hold this person close every night and that they will be their only love for the rest of their life. The song ends with the final line, "Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do," driving home the point that this person is indispensable to the singer.
Overall, "What am I living for" is a heartfelt and emotional expression of love and longing. The lyrics are straightforward and honest, making it easy for listeners to relate to the feelings being expressed by the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I living for, if not for you,
My reason for existing is you, without you, there is no meaning to my life.
What am I longing for, if not for you,
There is nothing I want more in this world than you, you are my desire and my goal.
What am I living for, if not for you,
You are my entire purpose for being, my reason for living each day.
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do.
You are the only one I want and need, there is no one else who can take your place in my heart.
I want you close to me, that's all I know,
The only thing I am sure of is that I need you near me, constantly by my side.
I want you all the time,
My desire for you never fades, I want you with me always.
Darling, I love you so.
You are everything to me, I love you beyond measure.
What am I longing for, each lonely night,
Every night the only thing I yearn for is your company.
To feel your lips close to mine, and hold you tight
I ache to hold you in my arms, to feel your lips on mine and to feel our bodies entwined.
You'll be the my only girl, my whole life through,
You are the only woman I could ever love, and I will never let you go.
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do.
You are the only one who can truly satisfy me, there is no one else who can take your place.
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do...
I repeat, there is no one else who can replace you in my heart, you are the only one for me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jasmine
I want to see him perform again in Branson. He’s one heck of a piano player.
Carol S
Mickey still has it!
??? guess
How wonderful is this?!!!
Primrose Haran
Fantastic love this song from mickey thank you so much for this fantastic post
Marlene Badyka
WOW HE IS JUST GOOD AS I REMEMBER
Marlene Badyka
OH MY LOVING THIS ONE
Theresa Dupuis
THANK YOU 😁WHAT A WONDERFUL CROWD OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE 😀! !!!
Garth Lewis
That’s some two-stepping music if I ever heard any !
Nick Hall
Wow just saw him on American Pickers yesterday!!
Doug Allen
now that's how it's done