Travis was born in Marshville, North Carolina, the second of six children of Bobbie, a textile factory worker, and Harold Traywick, a horse breeder, turkey farmer, and construction business owner. While growing up, Travis was forced to take guitar lessons by his father and began performing at the age of eight with his brother, Ricky. Travis began drinking at the age of 12, and by 14 was a regular marijuana user, who occasionally dabbled in harder drugs. He often fought with his father and soon dropped out of high school. He became a juvenile delinquent and was arrested for various offenses, including auto theft and burglary.
Harold Traywick entered Randy and Ricky in a talent contest at a nightclub called "Country City, USA" in Charlotte, North Carolina. In the meantime, Ricky, who also had brushes with the law, was sentenced to jail and Randy had to complete the contest alone, but he won anyway. The club's manager, Elizabeth "Lib" Hatcher, took an interest in Travis and gave him a job singing at the club. Travis began focusing on music. He first recorded for Paula Records and released two unsuccessful singles — "She's My Woman" and "Dreamin'". Travis' legal troubles continued and he was due in court for probation violations. Hatcher pleaded with the judge and Travis was released in her custody with the warning that if the judge ever saw him again "he'd better bring his toothbrush, because he would be going to jail for a very long time."
Travis moved in with Hatcher. This put further strain on her already fragile marriage. She eventually left her husband and, in 1982, she and Travis moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Travis was soon turned down by every record label in town. His early demo tapes were criticized by Nashville record executives as being "too country." Hatcher took a job as manager of a nightclub, "The Nashville Palace" and hired Travis as a cook and singer. It was during this time that an unlikely romance began to form between the two; Travis said "I think we discovered how much we needed each other."
Career
In 1982, Travis recorded an independent album Randy Ray Live and Lib Hatcher used it to secure a deal with Warner Bros. Records. However, the label said they had to keep their romance a secret, so as not to turn away fans, and changed his stage name from Randy Ray to Randy Travis. In 1985, Warner Brothers released Travis' single, "On the Other Hand," which topped out at 67 on the country charts. His next single, "1982", became a Top 10 hit followed by the re-release of "On the Other Hand" in 1986. The re-release became Travis' first number one hit.
His debut album, Storms of Life, went on to sell more than 4 million copies. In the late 1980s, he had a string of hits, including "No Place Like Home" and "Diggin' Up Bones." A song from his second Warner Brothers album "Always and Forever" titled "Forever and Ever, Amen" arguably launched the neo-traditionalist country era, boosting the popularity of country music beyond its traditional fan base. For two years in a row, Travis won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, for the albums Always & Forever in 1988, and for Old 8x10 in 1989. Off the success of his first two albums, Old 8x10 shipped platinum. Always and Forever was number one for 43 weeks.
Travis and Hatcher married in 1991. That year Travis took part in Voices That Care, a multi-artist project that featured other top names in music for a one-off single to raise money for the allied troops in the Gulf War. The project included fellow singers Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and Kathy Mattea. By 1992, Travis was no longer charting high, as Brooks, Clint Black and others had taken over Nashville. He took a break from music to concentrate on acting and landed roles in several Western-genre films. He returned to recording with the 1994 album This Is Me and the hit single "Whisper My Name."
In 1997, Travis parted ways with Warner Brothers. He moved to DreamWorks Nashville and recorded You and You Alone, which produced the top 10 hits "Out of My Bones" and "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man." These were followed by 2000's albums Inspirational Journey, 2002's Rise and Shine and 2003's Worship and Faith. The single "Three Wooden Crosses" from the Rise and Shine album reached No. 1 and won the CMA song of the year in 2003. That same year, Travis ranked #13 on CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music. Travis continues to act in film and television; he appeared on the series finale of Touched by an Angel. His second most recent album, Passing Through, was released in November of 2004. It combines the country music of his earlier years, with a little gospel mixed in from more recent albums. After the release of "Glory Train" in 2005 and the Christmas album "Songs of the Season" in 2007, Travis released his brand new single "Faith In You" as a free download from his official website. It heralds the projected summer [2008] release of his forthcoming album, "Around the Bend". Along with the release of the free single, RandyTravis.com has also underwent a complete overhaul, with opportunities for fans to create blogs and join an upcoming official fan club. The new sleek look of the website has attracted throngs of fans. Contributor Anthony Maurizio has recently produced the Digging Up Bones blog series on the website, which has increased website traffic and is considered one of the most esteemed country music articles available for reading.
Look Heart No Hands
Randy Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Riding down old two mile hill
Tennis shoes up on the handle bars
Paying no mind to the passing cars
No doubts, no fears, just like when you are here
No chains, no strings, no fences, no walls
No net, just you to catch me when I fall
It took a little time to get up to speed
To find the confidence and strength I need
To just let go and reach for the sky
You Know sometimes it felt I could fly
No doubts, no fears, just like when you are here
No chains, no strings, no fences, no walls
No net, just you to catch me when I fall
Look heart, no hands
It doesn't take much, just a smile or a touch
And I'm a kid again, I can almost feel that wind
No chains, no strings, no fences, no walls
No net, just you to catch me when I fall
Look heart, no hands
Look hear, no hands
"Look Heart No Hands" is a song by Randy Travis that talks about the feeling of freedom and security when you are with someone you trust. The lyrics capture the memory of riding a bike down an old hill with no worries or doubts, just like the feeling when you are with someone who makes you feel safe and free. The metaphor of the bike ride represents life's journey, where we face obstacles and challenges along the way. However, with the support of a loved one, we can take risks and reach for the sky without fear of falling.
The first verse talks about how it felt to ride the bike down the hill with tennis shoes on the handlebars, not caring about the cars passing by. This represents the carefree feeling of childhood innocence. The second verse describes how it took some time to gain the confidence to "let go and reach for the sky," but with the support of someone special, it felt like he could fly. The bridge talks about how it doesn't take much to feel like a kid again, just a smile or a touch, which can bring back that feeling of freedom and security.
Overall, the song is about the power of love and trust in a relationship. When you have someone you can count on, it frees you from doubt and fear, allowing you to take risks and pursue your dreams with confidence. The metaphor of the bike ride adds a nostalgic touch to the song, reminding us of simpler times when we were carefree and innocent.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember how it used to feel
I recall the sensation I experienced earlier
Riding down old two-mile hill
While riding down the steep slope of my childhood,
Tennis shoes up on the handlebars
I had slipped my sneakers onto the bike's handles as a child.
Paying no mind to the passing cars
I paid no attention to the vehicles that passed me by.
No doubts, no fears, just like when you are here
I had no uncertainties or concerns, just as I do when you are nearby.
No chains, no strings, no fences, no walls
I don't have any chains, strings, fences, or walls holding me back.
No net, just you to catch me when I fall
I don't have any safety net except for you to save me when I fall.
Look heart, no hands
I am navigating without hands on the handlebars, I just need to trust.
It took a little time to get up to speed
It took some time to gather momentum.
To find the confidence and strength I need
To gain the self-assurance and mental resilience required.
To just let go and reach for the sky
To just release my grip and strive for the limit.
You Know sometimes it felt I could fly
At times, I genuinely felt like I was hovering.
It doesn't take much, just a smile, or a touch
It doesn't take a lot to satisfy me- a grin or a tap suffices.
And I'm a kid again, I can almost feel that wind
I'm transported back to my childhood, and I can sense the breeze once more.
Look heart, no hands
I am navigating without hands on the handlebars, I just need to trust.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Howard Russell Smith, Trey Edwin Bruce
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jacob Robinson
I got to admit, this guy's got soul in his voice. Most singers these days don't have it. I love him already. Should've listened to him years ago.
Ruth Boykin
Love every song he sang! Such a magical voice!
Mick Seretny
I have trouble not crying when I sing this song. Thank you Randy (and Russel Smith!)
Kristin S
I can't imagine this song being sung by anyone other than Randy Travis. The lyrics and melody are great, but it's his beautiful voice makes this song so special. ❤
Donaldphilip651
Hello beautiful
leo baker
So true
Patsy Seretny
Kristin you need to listen to the original written by Russell Smith. It's on Youtube.
Kristin S
@Patsy Seretny Wow - that version is beautiful!! Thanks for the suggestion. Russell's version is sung in a slower tempo (which sounds cool), and I love the slightly raspy quality of his voice (reminds me a bit of Bob Dylan). Thanks again - just listened to this while drinking coffee on a Monday morning. Nice start to the week. Cheers! 🤗🌷
Patsy Seretny
@Kristin S You're welcome, Kristen! When you have time, listen to Russell sing "If I Didn't Have You." One of my favs of his. ;)
Greg Elliott
Who else loves Randy Travis's music besides me?