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.
On The Other Hand
Randy Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And hold you close to me all night long
So many lover's games I'd love to play with you
On that hand there's no reason why it's wrong
But on the other hand, there's a golden band
To remind me of someone who would not understand
On one hand, I could stay and be your lovin' man
In your arms, I feel the passions I thought had died
When I looked into your eyes, I found myself
And when I first kissed your lips, I felt so alive
I've got to hand it to you girl, you're somethin' else
But on the other hand, there's a golden band
To remind me of someone who would not understand
On one hand, I could stay and be your lovin' man
But the reason I must go is on the other hand
Yeah, the reason I must go is on the other hand
Randy Travis’s “On The Other Hand” is a song about a man who is struggling between two conflicting emotions. The first hand represents the reasons why he wants to be with his lover, while the other hand represents the reasons why he can't be with her. The first hand includes the passion he feels when he is with her, and the love they share. On the other hand, there is a “golden band” to remind him of the person he is already committed to. The golden band could be a wedding ring, implying that he is already married.
The song goes on to describe the conflicting emotions that the man is feeling. He is torn between the passion he feels for his lover and the commitment he has to his existing relationship. He knows that he can't have both, and that he must make a choice. The decision to leave his lover is hard, but the “golden band” reminds him of his responsibilities and loyalty to his partner. The lyrics imply that the man must sacrifice his happiness for the sake of his duty.
Overall, “On The Other Hand” is a song about the complexities of love and commitment. The lyrics tell a story about a man who is facing a difficult decision and is struggling with his emotions. It's a song that many people can relate to, as the struggle between passion and loyalty is a universal theme.
Line by Line Meaning
On one hand, I count the reasons I could stay with you
I am considering staying with you due to various compelling reasons.
And hold you close to me all night long
I long to embrace you all night long.
So many lover's games I'd love to play with you
There are many romantic games that I'd like to play with you.
On that hand there's no reason why it's wrong
There's nothing wrong with staying with you on this side of things.
But on the other hand, there's a golden band
However, there's a wedding band on the other hand.
To remind me of someone who would not understand
This band reminds me of someone who wouldn't comprehend this situation.
On one hand, I could stay and be your lovin' man
I could remain with you and be your devoted partner on this side.
But the reason I must go is on the other hand
On the other side, there is a reason that compels me to leave.
In your arms, I feel the passions I thought had died
I experience emotions that I presumed were dead when I'm in your arms.
When I looked into your eyes, I found myself
I discovered who I am by staring into your eyes.
And when I first kissed your lips, I felt so alive
My first kiss with you made me feel alive.
I've got to hand it to you girl, you're somethin' else
You are truly remarkable, and I must acknowledge it.
Yeah, the reason I must go is on the other hand
The reason that compels me to leave is on the other side.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Don Schlitz, Paul Overstreet
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dixie Cobb
He has a voice no one could ever forget. No one sings or sounds like him.
Music Lover
While listening to a radio station broadcast from Ireland, I heard this beautiful song and fell in love with Randy, I hope he's doing well now. I'm a huge fan of his and always will be. 🎵
Kels
you can never get tired of this voice. never. 😌
Lynda Helms
Keis, I agree!
AN
Randy really had a positive impact on country music. and I hope his influence on the genre lasts forever. i admire him so much. I am a stroke survivor too. I understand the pain of having a successful career and what you love stripped away from you, the difficulty of learning all life's tasks like you were a baby starting from the beginning. I could always speak but what I heard was like a foreign language. music that I had previously loved, got on my nerves. I was so proud for Randy when I heard him sing amazing Grace, I know that took a lot of work and practice for him and he did a great job. he is an May God continue to Bless him. inspiration to many stroke survivors.May God continue to Bless he and Mary.
Charlotte Huffman
First song my husband and I danced to when we first met in 1986. My favorite album of all time!
Bill Shortino
Good album, I like all is music
Jennifer Dijames
Me too Bill . I miss hearing from him.
Will C
BEST VOICE IN COUNTRY
Shawn Coffey
Love this song ,brings a lot of memories back.