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.
Valley of Pain
Randy Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give me strength to carry on my way
I'm leanin' on you like a wooden cane
While I'm walkin' through I'm walkin' through
The valley of pain
I'm believin' there's a reason for this trial
This too shall pass in a little while
While I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through
A valley of pain
While I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through
A valley of pain
Won't you bathe me in a river of my tears
Whisper hope and truth and courage in my ears
When I'm hurting I have a dangerous tongue
I'll lose it and use it like a gun
Lord stop me if you see me takin' aim
While I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through
A valley of pain
I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through
A valley of pain
I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through
A valley of pain
Bathe me in a river of my tears
Whisper hope and truth and courage in my ears
Remind me when I reach the other side
I'll be thankful for every tear that I cried
Don't let me grow bitter I pray
Give me strength to carry on my way
Don't let the darkness drive me insane
While I'm walkin' through, walkin' through
A valley of pain
I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through
A valley of pain
I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through
This valley of pain
In Randy Travis's song Valley of Pain, the lyrics are reflective of the difficult times that one may face in life. The repeated line "While I'm walkin' through, I'm walkin' through a valley of pain" expresses the idea of going through a challenging period and persevering despite the obstacles.
The opening line, "Don't let me grow bitter I pray," shows how the singer is looking to gain strength to overcome their pain without letting it consume them. They are looking towards a higher power, one that can provide them with the courage and truth they need to continue moving forward.
The second stanza speaks to the idea that there is a reason for the trials and that this pain will eventually pass, giving the singer hope in the midst of their struggles. The lines "Won't you bathe me in a river of my tears / Whisper hope and truth and courage in my ears" further emphasize the need for a higher power to help guide them through the pain.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges their capacity for negative thinking and asks for help in overcoming it. They recognize that they may lash out and hurt people around them if they do not receive the help they need to get through a difficult time.
Overall, the song Valley of Pain is a message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity, with Randy Travis's powerful voice and poignant lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't let me grow bitter I pray
I am asking for the strength to not let the struggles and hardships turn me into a bitter person
Give me strength to carry on my way
I am asking for the power to push through the hardships and keep moving forward in life
I'm leanin' on you like a wooden cane
I am depending on you and seeking help from you to support me through my troubles
While I'm walkin' through I'm walkin' through
The valley of pain
I am currently experiencing a period of hardship and pain in my life
I'm believin' there's a reason for this trial
I have faith that there is a purpose to my current struggles and difficulties
This too shall pass in a little while
I have hope that my pain and difficulties will eventually come to an end and make way for brighter days
Oh lord have mercy if I complain
I am asking for forgiveness if I am ever tempted to complain about my struggles and pain
Won't you bathe me in a river of my tears
Whisper hope and truth and courage in my ears
I am seeking comfort and guidance from a higher power, to help me through my tears and remind me to have hope and courage
When I'm hurting I have a dangerous tongue
I'll lose it and use it like a gun
Lord stop me if you see me takin' aim
When I am in pain, I may say hurtful words to others, and I am asking for intervention if I do so
Remind me when I reach the other side
I'll be thankful for every tear that I cried
I am asking to be reminded that one day, when I overcome my pain, I will be grateful for the lessons it taught me
Don't let the darkness drive me insane
I am asking for help to not let my hardships and pain cause me to lose my sanity
While I'm walkin' through, walkin' through
A valley of pain
I am still experiencing a period of hardship and pain in my life
This valley of pain
My current struggles and difficulties in life
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: ALLEN SHAMBLIN, ROB MATHES (5790)
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind