Marion Bandy was born and grew up in Meridian, Mississippi, hometown of the country singer Jimmie Rodgers. He later stated: "My grandfather worked on the railroads with Jimmie Rodgers. He was the boss of the railway yard in Meridian and Jimmie Rodgers worked for him. He said that he played his guitar all the time between work."
He was nicknamed Moe by his father when he was a child. The Bandy family moved to San Antonio, Texas when Moe was six. His mother played piano and sang. Bandy was taught to play the guitar by his father who had a country band called the Mission City Playboys, but made little use of the ability until he was in his teens. His father's wish that Moe also play the fiddle never materialized.
He made some appearances with the Mission City Playboys but generally during his high school years he showed little interest in music and a great deal of interest in rodeos. He tried bronco-busting and bull riding and by the time he was 16, both he and his brother Mike were competing in rodeos all over Texas.
In 1962, tired of the bruises and fractured bones, he began to pursue a career in country music. He assembled a band that he called Moe And The Mavericks and found work playing small beer joints, honky-tonks, and clubs over a wide area around San Antonio. When he was young he tried to sound like Hank Williams and George Jones - "I even had my hair cut short like his."
Although work was plentiful, the pay was poor and during the day he worked for his father as a sheet metal worker, a job that lasted for 12 years, during which time he made a few recordings for various small labels. In 1964, he had his first single, "Lonely Girl", on the San Antonio based Satin label, but it made little impression. He did manage to get his band a residency on a local television program called Country Corner and in this capacity, he provided backing for several touring stars.
In 1973, he went solo when record producer Ray Baker, who had listened to his demos, suggested that he come to Nashville, Tennessee. Moe Bandy obtained a loan and recorded a song called "I Just Started Hatin' Cheatin' Songs Today". Initially released on Footprint Records with a limited pressing of 500 copies, it soon came to the attention of the Atlanta-based GRC label. In March 1974, it entered the US country chart, eventually peaking at number 17. Other minor hits followed, including "It Was Always So Easy To Find An Unhappy Woman (Till I Started Looking For Mine)" and "Don't Anyone Make Love At Home Anymore".
In 1975, a song written by his friend Lefty Frizzell and Whitey Shaffer gave him a number 7 country hit, firmly establishing his reputation. "Bandy The Rodeo Clown" was to become not only one of his own favorites but also one of his most popular recordings. (Shaffer was greatly amused by the way Bandy pronounced woman as "woh-min", and began to send him songs with the "woh-min" in them.)
Bandy sang in a simple style that extracted the utmost from his songs of lost love, sadness, and life. Although by no means a Hank Williams sound-alike, his method of putting across his honky-tonk songs showed the distinct influence of Williams. He met with immediate success at Columbia Records with Paul Craft's "Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life" and quickly added further hits, including "Here I Am Drunk Again".
From 1977 through 1979, he was a country chart regular with singles such as "I'm Sorry For You, My Friend" (the song Williams had written for their mutual friend Lefty Frizzell), "Cowboys Ain't Supposed To Cry", "That's What Makes The Jukebox Play", and a duet with Janie Fricke, "It's A Cheating Situation".
In 1979, he achieved his first solo number 1 with "I Cheated Me Right Out of You".
That same year, in 1979, Bandy joined forces with Joe Stampley and recorded a tongue in cheek novelty single: "Just Good Ol' Boys". The song went on to top the country chart and it led to a continuation of their partnership. The duo, commonly known as "Moe and Joe", had more novelty hits between 1979 and 1985, including "Holding The Bag", "Tell Ole I Ain't Here", and "Hey Joe (Hey Moe)". In 1984, they ran into copyright problems with their parody of the then-current Boy George/Culture Club phenomenon: "Where's The Dress" used the guitar-riff introduction from Culture Club's hit "Karma Chameleon".
During the 1980s, Bandy maintained a steady line of solo successes, including "Yesterday Once More", "Rodeo Romeo", "She's Not Really Cheatin' (She's Just Gettin' Even)", and "Till I'm Too Old To Die Young".
Bandy also registered duet successes with Judy Bailey ("Following The Feeling") and Becky Hobbs ("Let's Get Over Them Together"). Over the years, he maintained a touring schedule estimated at 250 to 300 days a year and appeared on numerous network television shows. In later years, he cut back considerably on his schedule. He was never a regular Grand Ole Opry member, but has made guest appearances from time to time.
Bandy summed up his music when he said, "I really think my songs are about life. There's cheating, drinking and divorcing going on everywhere and that's what hardcore country music is all about." He added: "If I'd done all the things I sing about, I'd be dead."
Critics reviewing some of his later recordings wrote that it was strange that at a time when more artists were actually recording his type of music, some of his recordings were spoiled by string and/or choir arrangements, and advised that an immediate return to his roots was necessary. Bandy opened his popular Americana Theatre in Branson, Missouri in 1991 and performs frequently there.
Moe, along with his brother, Mike Bandy, a six time NFR bull riding qualifier, were inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2007.
Cowboys Ain't Supposed To Cry
Moe Bandy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to play the rodeos
But I can't play 'em like I used to
I've given it up I'm layin' it down
I've had enough of being a rodeo clown
So if you see a tear running down my face
Don't ask me why cause cowboys ain't supposed to cry
Oh I am just a drifter on my way back from Denver
I kept 'em laughin' from in my barrel
But now it seems it's too hard to handle
So I've given it up I'm layin' it down
I've had enough of being a rodeo clown
So if you see a tear running down my face
Don't ask me why cause cowboys ain't supposed to cry
The lyrics of Moe Bandy's song Cowboys Ain't Supposed To Cry speaks of a cowboy who is on his way back to Houston, having given up his life as a rodeo clown. He expresses regret and sadness that he can no longer play at rodeos the way he used to. He feels that he has had enough, and for this reason, he has decided to lay it down. However, the cowboy knows that crying is not something that cowboys are supposed to do, and as such, he tries to hold back his tears, even in this tough moment.
The song's deep poignancy is accentuated by its storytelling style, which vividly depicts the cowboy's internal struggle. The lyrics draw attention to the fact that cowboys are supposed to be tough and brave, and that showing weakness, such as crying, is not acceptable. Thus, the song speaks to the pressures that one may face when trying to live up to societal expectations of toughness and stoicism, even when faced with a difficult situation.
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Overall, the song's message is universal, as it touches on the theme of pushing through adversity and the dangers of being too hard on oneself. It highlights the fact that even cowboys or people who are expected to be strong and unyielding have their limits and their emotions, and it's okay to show those emotions at times.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I am just a cowboy on my way back to Houston
I am a cowboy who is returning to Houston
I used to play the rodeos
I used to perform at rodeos
But I can't play 'em like I used to
I am no longer able to perform in rodeos as I used to
I've given it up I'm layin' it down
I have quit performing in rodeos
I've had enough of being a rodeo clown
I am tired of being a rodeo clown
So if you see a tear running down my face
If you observe tears rolling down my cheeks
Don't ask me why cause cowboys ain't supposed to cry
Please don't question me about it because it is unacceptable for cowboys to display emotions
Oh I am just a drifter on my way back from Denver
I am a wanderer, returning from Denver
I kept 'em laughin' from in my barrel
I entertained people inside my barrel
But now it seems it's too hard to handle
However, it has become too challenging for me to continue performing
Lyrics Š Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SANGER SHAFER, ARTHUR OWENS SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Herb Walker
We were fortunate enough
to work with Moe Bandy when he came to El Paso Tx.
We opened his show. I had a few minutes on the side to talk to Moe.
I told him we really liked his hits and I had been singing some of his songs over in Germany in the Army and here in Texas too.I asked him to sing this one, as I had been singing it as soon as it came out.
He sang this one at the show in the Dallas Night Club for me!!! đ
đ
⤠the Tunes Moe,. Thanks Partner!!
H.W.
Darryl Denson
Make you cry song. Can be used to depict when a careers coming to an end. Thanks Moe......that was sung from the heart.....as all your music was.
Christa Strydom
Real country music, by a real country musician. Love Moe's songs, he sang it out of his heart and it sometimes feel that he means every word he sang â¤
Jim
Ladies and gentlemen in case you didn't know, this is real country music from the great Moe Bandy !!!
Nat
One of my all time favourite songs ever - perfect from start to finish đ one of the smoothest bass lines ever maybe. Easily one of the most creative artists to come out his time period.
Hawkan Haakanson Sr
This song reminds me of my grandpa, he was an old cowboy..one of the real ones..heâd pick me up from the ground and tell me, âgit up kid, cowboys ainât supposed to cry.â I still live by that todayâŚI miss that ole manâŚ
Chris G
That steel guitar is amazing! I miss that style of music so much these days. Thats when country was country there was hardley any crossover back in those days...
kevinmac1989
Gotta a Hank Sr. feel.
Herb Walker
We were fortunate enough
to work with Moe Bandy when he came to El Paso Tx.
We opened his show. I had a few minutes on the side to talk to Moe.
I told him we really liked his hits and I had been singing some of his songs over in Germany in the Army and here in Texas too.I asked him to sing this one, as I had been singing it as soon as it came out.
He sang this one at the show in the Dallas Night Club for me!!! đ
đ
⤠the Tunes Moe,. Thanks Partner!!
H.W.
Mike Gilkerson
Excellent recording, I enjoy it every time i listen to it. My kind of country music.....
Kenneth Reedy
I hadn't heard this song in decades. Thank you for posting.