Self-taught on the guitar, Otis Whitman worked at a shipyard in Tampa while developing a musical career, eventually performing with a band known as the "Variety Rhythm Boys". Whitman's first big break came when agent Colonel Tom Parker heard him singing on the radio and offered to represent him. Signed with RCA Records, he was billed as the cowboy singer, "Slim Whitman" and released his first 45rpm single in 1948. He toured and sang at a variety of venues including on the popular radio show, the Louisiana Hayride.
He only became a full time musician in the early 1950s after he recorded a version of the Bob Nolan hit Love Song of the Waterfall that made it into the country music Top 10 chart. His next single, Indian Love Call, was even more successful, going to the No.2 position (and actually saving the world in the 1996 movie Mars Attacks! where it proves fatal to the invading Martians). A yodeler, Whitman avoided the "down on yer luck-buried in booze" songs, preferring instead to sing laid-back romantic melodies about simple life and love.
In 1955, in the United Kingdom, he had a No.1 hit on the pop music charts with Rose Marie. With eleven weeks at the top of the charts, the song set a record that lasted for thirty-six years. Soon after recording this big hit Whitman was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry and in 1957, along with other musical stars, he appeared in the film musical, Jamboree. Despite this type of exposure, he never achieved the level of stardom in the United States that he did in Britain where he had a number of hits during the 1950s and 60s. Throughout the early 1970s, he continued to record and was a guest on Wolfman Jack's musical television show, The Midnight Special. At the time, Whitman's recording efforts were yielding only minor hits and in 1974 he stopped making new records.
Careless Love
Slim Whitman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've fly through my head like wine
You've wrecked the life of a many poor girl
And you nearly spoiled this life of mine
Love, oh love, oh careless love
In your clutches of desire
You've made me break a many true vow
Love, oh love, oh careless love
All my happiness bereft
You've filled my heart with weary old blues
Now I'm walkin', talkin' to myself
Love, oh love, oh careless love
Trusted you now, it's too late
You've made me throw my old friend down
That's why I sing this song of hate
Love, oh love, oh careless love
Night and day, I weep and moan
You brought the wrong man into this life of mine
For my sins, till judgment I'll atone
The song "Careless Love" by Slim Whitman is a haunting ballad about the damaging effects of love, specifically the kind of love that is fleeting, thoughtless and selfish. The song describes love as an entity that fly through one's head like wine, and how it has wrecked the lives of many poor girls and has nearly ruined the life of the singer. The singer is clearly in a state of agony, as love has made them break many true vows and set their soul on fire. The song paints a picture of someone whose heart is filled with weary old blues, they are walking and talking to themselves, and they are lamenting the fact that they trusted love too late.
The final verse is particularly poignant, as the singer sings about how love has made them throw their old friend down. This line suggests that love is capable of not just harming the person involved in the relationship but also those around them, and how it must be difficult for others to watch as someone falls victim to the recklessness of careless love.
Overall, the song is a warning about the dangers of giving into lust and desire without considering the consequences. It is a reminder of how love can be a destructive force in one's life if it is not given the proper attention and care.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, oh love, oh careless love
The singer is personifying love as a careless entity that causes destruction and turmoil.
You've fly through my head like wine
The singer's infatuation with love is intense and intoxicating, clouding his judgment and thoughts like wine.
You've wrecked the life of a many poor girl
Love has hurt many people, including women who have fallen victim to its destructive nature.
And you nearly spoiled this life of mine
The singer has narrowly avoided being consumed by love's harmful effects on his own life.
In your clutches of desire
Love has a powerful grip that can control a person's desires and actions.
You've made me break a many true vow
Love has caused the singer to betray his promises and commitments to others.
Then you set my very soul on fire
Love ignites a burning passion within the singer's soul that is both intense and destructive.
All my happiness bereft
Love has stripped the singer of his joy and contentment in life.
You've filled my heart with weary old blues
Love has left the singer feeling melancholy and worn out, with a heavy heart.
Now I'm walkin', talkin' to myself
Love has driven the singer to feel lonely and isolated, with no one to talk to but himself.
Trusted you now, it's too late
The singer was once naive and trusting of love, but now realizes it's too late to turn back and undo the harm done.
You've made me throw my old friend down
Love has caused the singer to abandon his friendships and relationships with others.
That's why I sing this song of hate
The singer's negative experiences with love have left him bitter and resentful, leading him to express his hatred through music.
Night and day, I weep and moan
The pain inflicted by love is constant, causing the singer to suffer both day and night.
You brought the wrong man into this life of mine
Love has introduced the singer to the wrong people and experiences, causing him to regret ever letting it into his life.
For my sins, till judgment I'll atone
The singer sees his experiences with love as a punishment for his mistakes and sins, and fears he will have to answer for them in the afterlife.
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