If you are asking yourself, “What was Marty Robbins’ biggest hit?”, there are plenty of options. From “Don’t Worry” to “El Paso,” the list goes on. But, to make a list with a little less detail, here are four of his greatest hits: “Don’t Worry,” “El Paso,” and ‘The Story of My Life.”
Table of Contents
“Don’t Worry”
Marty Robbins’ song “Don’t Worry” became his biggest hit when it was released on his album More Greatest Hits in February 1961. The song topped the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for 10 weeks and stayed there for an impressive 19 weeks. Despite this, the song still managed to cross over to the pop charts, where it spent 15 weeks at No. 3. The song was a big hit for Marty, but its success would come with some minor tweaks along the way.
The original song was written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach and was Marty’s third number one country hit. The second biggest hit was “Ruby Ann,” which he sang live just a few months before his divorce. Its lyrics were about a man playing the sap, a situation that Robbins had fought to prevent from happening to him.
“El Paso”
Although this song was written for the Western genre, it has more than a touch of country music. The tune, which is based on Marty Robbins’ experience in the Texas oil fields, is also a classic Americana song. It features a catchy melody and a somewhat altered bridge. The song has 14 verses and is about a cowboy who kills a man to win a woman. The song goes on to tell the story of how this cowboy finds love and dies in her arms.
The song begins with a brief statement and then builds the story from there. It features classic country and western movie drama, including gunplay, horseback chases, a dying kiss, and a narrator’s death. At four minutes, the song is one of the longest country songs ever written. The song is a staple of country radio, and it is the perfect accompaniment to a show or a concert.
“Ruby Ann”
Marty Robbins’ biggest hit came in the form of his debut single, Ruby Ann. The song was released in October 1962 and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It crossed over to the pop chart at number eighteen and topped the Easy Listening chart. It served as a signal to Robbins’ continuing success. In 1963, he released a second single, “River of Love.”
Marty Robbins’ musical legacy extends beyond the hit Ruby Ann. His country music catalog includes seventeen No. 1 singles, 52 studio albums, and 100 singles that reached the Billboard country chart. His talents as a singer were undeniable and he had a strong songwriting talent. His childhood was full of adversity, and he was often influenced by stories he learned from his grandfather, a cowboy.
“The Story of My Life”
One of Marty Robbins’ most famous hits was the country ballad “El Paso.” The song, released in September 1959, was a western-outlaw classic that peaked at number one on Canada’s CHUM country music radio station and in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Marty Robbins has said in interviews that he spent almost as long writing the song as it did singing it.
The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and became a country hit for Marty Robbins in 1957. The song spent four weeks at the top of the US country chart and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number two in Australia’s Kent Music Report. The song is included on the compilation album “Marty’s Greatest Hits”. Its popularity led to its inclusion on a compilation album. However, it was not a remake of the Neil Diamond song of the same name.