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.

Please Help Me I'm Falling
Rusty Draper Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Please help me, I'm falling
In love with you
Close the door to temptation
Don't let me walk through

Turn away from me, darling
I'm begging you to
Please help me, I'm falling

In love with you

I belong to another
Whose arms have grown cold
But I promised forever
To have and to hold

I can never be free, dear
But when I'm with you
I know that I'm losing
The will to be true

Please help me, I'm falling
And that would be sin
Close the door to temptation
Don't let me walk in

For I mustn't want you
But, darling, I do

Please help me, I'm falling
In love with you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rusty Draper's "Please Help Me I'm Falling" express a complicated emotional state. The singer is deeply in love with someone else, despite being in a committed relationship (the line "I belong to another" makes this clear). However, the object of their affection seems to feel the same way, creating a temptation that may be too powerful to resist. The singer pleads with their love interest to turn away and help them avoid this temptation, recognizing that giving in would be a sin.

The lyrics are a classic example of the struggle between love and duty. Though the singer has made a promise to someone else, their heart is telling them to do something different. The line "I can never be free, dear" suggests that the singer is resigned to this fact - they know they can't be with the one they love. However, being around that person is making it increasingly difficult to stay true to their commitments. The plea for help in the chorus reflects a sense of desperation - the singer can't do this alone.

The song's melody is simple and melancholic, adding to the overall feeling of heartbreak and longing. In many ways, the lyrics read like a confession - the singer is revealing their true feelings and asking for forgiveness. Though the specific scenario may not be relatable to everyone, the emotions behind it are universal.

Line by Line Meaning

Please help me, I'm falling
I'm entranced by you and need your support

In love with you
I've fallen in love with you deeply

Close the door to temptation
Please don't let me give in to my desires

Don't let me walk through
I'm asking you to protect me from myself

Turn away from me, darling
Please reject me to help me get over you

I'm begging you to
I'm desperately in need of your help

I belong to another
I'm in a committed relationship

Whose arms have grown cold
My partner has lost interest in me

But I promised forever
I made a vow to stay committed for life

To have and to hold
I promised to cherish and love my partner forever

I can never be free, dear
I'm bound to my current partner