Farrell "Rusty" Draper (January 25, 1923 – March 28, 2003) was an American … Read Full Bio ↴Farrell "Rusty" Draper (January 25, 1923 – March 28, 2003) was an American country and pop singer who achieved his greatest success in the 1950s.

Born in Kirksville, Missouri and nicknamed "Rusty" for his red hair, he began performing on his uncle's radio show in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the mid 1930s. Draper moved on to work at radio stations in Des Moines, Iowa—sometimes filling in for sports announcer Ronald Reagan—and in Illinois before settling in California. There he began to sing in local clubs, becoming resident singer at the Rumpus Room in San Francisco. By the early 1950s he had begun appearing on national TV shows including The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) and Ozark Jubilee (ABC).

In 1952, Draper signed to Mercury Records and issued his debut single, "How Could You (Blue Eyes)". The following year, after a national club tour, his cover version of Jim Lowe's "Gambler's Guitar” made #6 on both the country and pop charts, and sold a million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[1] After a series of less successful follow-ups, he made the national charts again in 1955 with "Seventeen" (#18), "The Shifting, Whispering Sands" (#3) and "Are You Satisfied?" (#11), becoming one of the biggest pop and country crossover stars of the period.

In 1956, he returned to the top 20 with "In The Middle Of The House" (#20), followed up by his version of Chas McDevitt’s UK skiffle hit "Freight Train" (#3) Draper also reached the UK Singles Chart with a rendition of "Muleskinner Blues."

In 1962, he left Mercury to sign with Monument Records, with diminishing chart success as his style became more old-fashioned. However, he continued to have minor hits in the country charts through the 1960s. He remained a steady concert draw in years to follow, and also appeared in stage musicals and on television. Draper died in Bellevue, Washington at the age of 80.

I'll Get By
Rusty Draper Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'll get by
As long as I have you
Though there be rain
And darkness too
I'll not complain
I'll see it through

Poverty

May come to me, it's true
But what care I
Say, I'll get by
As long as I have you.

But what care I

Say, I'll get by
As long as I have you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rusty Draper's song "I'll Get By" reflect the importance of having love and companionship in life. The opening line of the song, "I'll get by", sets the tone for the rest of the song. Rather than focusing on the hardships and challenges that life may bring, the lyrics uplift the importance of having someone to lean on during those difficult times. The lines "As long as I have you" and "I'll not complain, I'll see it through" showcase the strength and resilience that comes from having love and support. The idea that poverty may come but it doesn't matter as long as you have love is a powerful message.

Furthermore, the lines "But what care I" and "Say, I'll get by" highlight a sense of determination and positivity. These lines imply that the singer is not worried about what may happen as long as they have the love and support of another person. They are confident in their ability to persevere and overcome any obstacle because they have someone to share the journey with.

Overall, the song "I'll Get By" is not just a love song but a testament to the strength and resilience that comes from having a companion. The lyrics recognize that life is not always easy, but with love and support, one can overcome any challenge.

Line by Line Meaning

I'll get by
I will manage to cope with circumstances regardless of their difficulty.

As long as I have you
If I have your companionship, I will get through anything.

Though there be rain
Even if things get tough and stormy

And darkness too
When I am lost in the dark and can't seem to find a way out

I'll not complain
I will not express my discontent or dissatisfaction, instead I will persevere.

I'll see it through
I will see the situation to completion and not give up.

Poverty
A state of being poor or lacking basic necessities.

May come to me, it's true
It is a fact that I may have to face economic hardship.

But what care I
It doesn't matter to me

Say, I'll get by
I'll manage to survive or get through a tough situation.

As long as I have you.
If I have someone special in my life to share it all with, I can survive and thrive.