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.
Night Life
Rusty Draper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You will find me hanging round
Whoa, the night life ain't no good life
But it's my life
Many people just like me
Dreaming of old used to be
Whoa, the night life ain't no good life
Well, listen to the blues
That they're playing
Yeah, listen to what
The blues are saying
Life is just a another scene
From this old world of broken dreams
The night life ain't no good life
But it's my life
Whoa, the night life ain't no good life
Yeah, but it's my life
The lyrics of Rusty Draper's song, Night Life, convey a sense of acceptance and resignation about the night life. The singer, who is a regular at late-night hangouts, acknowledges that it's not a good life, but it's his life. He finds comfort in the companionship of people who are also there, dreaming of the past and reminiscing about their broken dreams. The song paints a picture of a life that is full of despair and desolation, yet the singer is willing to embrace it and accept it.
The chorus of the song is particularly poignant. The singer implores us to listen to the blues that are being played and to pay attention to what they're saying. The blues are the language of the night life, and they articulate sentiments of pain, sorrow, and heartache that resonate with the patrons of these bars and clubs. The singer seems to be saying that the night life is not just a collection of random people getting drunk and partying; it's a community of people who have been scarred by life and find solace in each other's company.
Overall, Night Life is a melancholic song that captures the bittersweet essence of the night life. The singer doesn't glamorize it, nor does he demonize it. Instead, he portrays it as a necessary evil that people like him reluctantly come back to, night after night.
Line by Line Meaning
When the evening sun goes down
As soon as the sun sets, you'll find me lingering around
You will find me hanging round
I'll be loitering around, searching for something to do
Whoa, the night life ain't no good life
Although many perceive nightlife as bad, it's my source of happiness
But it's my life
This might not be the best life, but it's the only life I have
Many people just like me
There are several individuals who are like me
Dreaming of old used to be
We reminisce on the past times, thinking of what could have been or how good it used to be
Oh, but it's my life
Although not the best, it's what I have, and I've grown accustomed to it
Well, listen to the blues
You can hear my feelings through the music's lyrics
That they're playing
The music they play echoes my emotions
Yeah, listen to what
Pay attention to the message
The blues are saying
The music speaks volumes to how I feel
Life is just a another scene
Life is an act in the bigger picture
From this old world of broken dreams
We live in a world where dreams are shattered
Yeah, but it's my life
I wouldn't trade my life, no matter how imperfect it is, for anything else
Contributed by Madison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.