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.
Swing Down Chariot
Randy Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I looked over yonder and what I see seems like a chariot coming after me
Swing low, sweet chariot, coming to carry me home
Why don't you swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
Rock me, Lord, rock me, Lord, calm and easy
I've got a home on the other side
Swing, swing, swing
Well, Ezekiel was out in the middle of the field
He said he saw an angel with a chariot wheel
He wasn't too particular about the chariot wheel
He just wanted to see how a chariot feels
Why don't you swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
Rock me, Lord, rock me, Lord, calm and easy
I've got a home on the other side
Swing, swing, swing, swing, swing, swing
Well, Ezekiel went down and he got on board
The chariot went bumping on down the road
Zeke wasn't particular about the bumpin' of the road
He just wanted to lay down his heavy load
Why don't you swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
Rock me, Lord, rock me, Lord, calm and easy
I've got a home on the other side
Well, I got a Father in the promised land and I ain't stopping till I shake His hand
Rock me, Lord, rock me, Lord, calm and easy
I got a home on the other side
Swing down, sweet chariot, stop and let me ride
Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
Rock me, Lord, rock me, Lord, calm and easy
I've got a home on the other side
"Swing Down Chariot" by Randy Travis is a traditional gospel song that has been covered by various artists over the years. The lyrics are based on a biblical story from the book of Ezekiel where the prophet sees a vision of God's chariot. The song opens with the singer being pursued by a chariot, which he eventually asks to stop and let him ride. The phrase "swing low, sweet chariot, coming to carry me home" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the idea of being transported to heaven.
The second verse references Ezekiel's vision of the chariot, and the singer expresses a desire to experience what it would be like to ride in one. The third and final verse reflects the singer's certainty about his ultimate destination – heaven – and his determination to keep going until he reaches it. The overall message of the song is one of faith, hope, and the promise of salvation.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, well, well, well
The singer is acknowledging the significance of what is to come.
I looked over yonder and what I see seems like a chariot coming after me
The singer sees an approaching chariot that he perceives as a means of transportation to his heavenly home.
Swing low, sweet chariot, coming to carry me home
The singer calls upon the chariot to come down and carry him home to heaven.
Why don't you swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
The artist implores the chariot to stop and give him a lift.
Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride
A repetition of the request to the chariot to stop and take him along to heaven.
Rock me, Lord, rock me, Lord, calm and easy
The singer asks for divine comfort and assurance for the journey ahead.
I've got a home on the other side
The singer acknowledges the existence of a better, heavenly home worth striving for.
Well, Ezekiel was out in the middle of the field
The artist references a biblical prophet as a witness to the divine chariot and its significance.
He said he saw an angel with a chariot wheel
Ezekiel saw an angel driving or guiding the chariot.
He wasn't too particular about the chariot wheel
Ezekiel did not focus on the technical details of the chariot, but on its divine purpose.
He just wanted to see how a chariot feels
Ezekiel was curious to experience the chariot and what it represents.
Well, Ezekiel went down and he got on board
Ezekiel joined the journey on the divine chariot.
The chariot went bumping on down the road
The journey to heaven was not without challenges or difficulties, but continued on.
Zeke wasn't particular about the bumpin' of the road
Ezekiel did not focus on the bumps or troubles of the journey, but stayed focused on reaching his heavenly home.
He just wanted to lay down his heavy load
Ezekiel sought relief from the burdens and struggles of life on earth, with the hope of finding peace and rest in heaven.
Well, I got a Father in the promised land and I ain't stopping till I shake His hand
The artist affirms his faith in God and his unwavering commitment to reaching his heavenly home, where he expects to meet God face to face.
Swing down, sweet chariot, stop and let me ride
The artist once again calls on the divine chariot to stop and take him to heaven.
Rock me, Lord, rock me, Lord, calm and easy
The singer seeks divine comfort and assurance as he continues his journey to heaven.
I've got a home on the other side
The singer reinforces his hope in finding a better, heavenly home where he will be at peace and free from the struggles of life on earth.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GATLIN, TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind