Maddox was the singer in the Maddox Brothers and Rose, often considered to be "the greatest hillbilly band of all time". In 1996 she was nominated for a Grammy award for her Arhoolie recording $35 and a Dream. Her life story and that of the band were told in the biography, Ramblin' Rose: The Life and Career of Rose Maddox by Jonny Whiteside. ISBN 0-8265-1269-0.
Discography
Maddox Brothers & Rose
* America's Most Colorful Hillbilly Band v.1 (Arhoolie Records, 1976/1993)
* America's Most Colorful Hillbilly Band v.2 (Arhoolie, 1995)
* On The Air (Arhoolie, 1983/1996)
* Live On The Radio (1996)
* The Hillbilly Boogie Years (Rockateer, 1996)
* A Collection of Standard Sacred Songs (King, 1956)
* The Most Colorful Hillbilly Band in America (Bear Family, 1998)
Solo/Compilations
* Precious Memories (Columbia, 1958)
* The One Rose (Capitol, 1960)
* Glorybound Train (Capitol, 1961)
* A Big Bouquet of Roses (Capitol, 1961)
* Rose Maddox Sings Bluegrass (Capitol, 1962/1996)
* Alone with You (Capitol, 1963)
* Rosie (Starday, 1970)
* Reckless Love & Bold Adventure (Takoma, 1977)
* Rose of the West Coast Country (Arhoolie, 1980)
* This is Rose Maddox (Arhoolie, 1982)
* A Beautiful Bouquet (Arhoolie, 1983)
* Queen of the West (Varrick, 1986)
* California Rose (See for Miles, 1989)
* $35 And A Dream (Arhoolie, 1994)
* The One Rose: The Capitol Years (Bear Family, 1994)
* The Moon is Rising (Country Town Music, 1996)
* "The Legendary Queen Of The West" (Boothill, 2000)
What Am I Living For
Rose Maddox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If not for you
What am I living for
If not for you?
What am I living for
If not for you
Oh, oh, nobody else
What am I longing for
Each lonely night
To feel your lips to mine
To hold you tight.
You'll be the only one
My whole life through
Oh, nobody else
Nobody else will do.
I want you close to me
That's all I know
I want you all the time
Because I love you so.
Well, what am I living for
If not for you
What am I living for
If not for you?
What am I living for
If not for you
Oh, oh, nobody else
Nobody else will do.
--- Instrumental ---
I want you close to me
That's all I know
I want you all the time
Because I love you so...
The lyrics to Rose Maddox's "What Am I Living For" express the singer's deep love and devotion to a specific person. The repetition of the title phrase "What am I living for if not for you?" throughout the song emphasizes the importance of this person in the singer's life. The singer is essentially saying that without their loved one, they do not know their purpose in life or what they are living for.
The verses elaborate on this idea of the loved one's significance. The singer details their longing for physical intimacy ("To feel your lips to mine, to hold you tight") and their desire for exclusivity ("You'll be the only one my whole life through"). In the final verse, the singer even declares, "I want you all the time/ Because I love you so."
Overall, the song is a passionate declaration of love and a recognition of the importance of a particular person in the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I living for
Rose Maddox is questioning the purpose of her existence
If not for you
She realizes that the only reason she has for living is because of her loved one
What am I living for
Again questioning the purpose of her existence
If not for you?
Emphasizing that without her loved one, she has no reason to go on
What am I living for
Yet again, questioning the meaning of her life
If not for you
Reiterating that her loved one is the only reason for her living
Oh, oh, nobody else
She is stating that no one else can take the place of her loved one
Nobody else will do.
She cannot be happy or find meaning in life without her loved one
What am I longing for
Rose Maddox is expressing her deep yearning for her loved one
Each lonely night
She feels alone and lost without her loved one by her side
To feel your lips to mine
She desires the intimacy and connection of kissing her loved one
To hold you tight.
She wants to be physically close to her loved one and hold them tightly
You'll be the only one
Her loved one is the one and only person for her
My whole life through
She will love her loved one for her entire life
Oh, nobody else
She emphasizes that her loved one is truly irreplaceable
Nobody else will do.
She cannot find happiness without her loved one and no one else can fill that void
I want you close to me
Rose Maddox yearns for physical closeness with her loved one
That's all I know
Her relationship with her loved one is the only thing that she is certain about
I want you all the time
She desires to spend all of her time with her loved one
Because I love you so.
Her deep love for her special someone is the reason for all of her desire and longing for them
Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind