Hired to replace Gerry Gibson, who in turn had replaced founding Family Stone member Gregg Errico, Newmark was invited to audition for Sly Stone by Family Stone saxophonist Pat Rizzo. Newmark went on to record one album as the Family Stone's drummer, Fresh (1973) and performed with the band for two years in live concert as well.
After leaving the band in 1974, Newmark has performed and recorded with many top musical artists of the 1970s and 1980s, including John Lennon, Joe Walsh, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, George Harrison, Rickie Lee Jones, Patrick Moraz, Randy Newman, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Ronnie Wood[2], Roxy Music, ABC, Laura Nyro, Elkie Brooks, Sting, and George Benson. He is featured on Carly Simon's 1971 album Anticipation and Gary Wright's 1975 album Dream Weaver. In 1980, he was the sole drummer on John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy, as well as Milk and Honey released in 1984. He was also the featured drummer on Yoko Ono's Seasons of Glass in 1981, along with most of the session musicians who played on Double Fantasy.
Andy is a Patron and visiting artist at drum and percussion school, Drumtech in London.
Recently, Andy has performed with Bryan Ferry on his latest world tour, playing in Australia, Russia and England, to name but a few.
Drums on Judie Tzuke Songs 2 album 2008 and drums on Bailey Tzuke album 2008.
Andy endorses Yamaha Drums and Zildjian Cymbals.
In his down time he surfs You-Tube regularly.
Big Bayou
Andy Newmark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was determined to get somewhere
I spent all my hard earned money
I had saved to put me there
Big bayou where did you go
To the river that's running slow
And to the Gulf of Mexico
I took a cotton picking job in Memphis
And the people there treated me good
But my luck run bad in Nashville
I had to walked the streets of Hollywood
Big bayou where did you go
To the river that's running slow
Into the Gulf of Mexico
Big bayou carry me home
Gotta get away
Gotta find a way
Gotta get away home
Oh Lord I'm going home
Where the fish jump in the air
You know I don't need a lot of money
Cause I ain't going nowhere
Big bayou where did you go
To the river that's running slow
Into the Gulf of Mexico
Big bayou carry me home
Big bayou carry me home
To the river that's running slow
Into the Gulf of Mexico
Big bayou where did you go
I'm gonna catch a southbound
Train home one of these days
The song "Big Bayou" by Andy Newmark is a melancholic tale of a person who left home to find success in the city, but ended up struggling and lost. The lyrics describe a long journey that the singer took to reach the city, with hopes and dreams to make it big. However, after spending all their hard-earned money, the singer was left with nothing but disappointment and a sense of helplessness. The chorus "Big bayou where did you go, to the river that's running slow, and to Gulf of Mexico, Big Bayou carry me home" represents the singer's desire to go back home to the big bayou, where things were simpler and life was easier.
The singer then goes on to describe their journey to various cities in search of work, starting from a cotton field in Memphis where people treated them well, to Nashville where their luck had run out and they had to walk the streets of Hollywood. The lyrics express a sense of longing to go back home, where life was simpler and the singer would not need a lot of money to be happy.
Overall, the song "Big Bayou" is a beautiful and thought-provoking track that explores themes of nostalgia, longing, and the meaning of home.
Line by Line Meaning
I took a long, long trip to the city
I embarked on a lengthy journey to explore the urban setting
I was determined to get somewhere
I was resolute to make progress and achieve something meaningful
I spent all my hard earned money
I exhausted all the income I had generated from my laborious work
I had saved to put me there
I had preserved it to solely finance my progress to that location
Big bayou where did you go
Addressing the river's location and questioning its whereabouts
To the river that's running slow
To the resting waters of the stream that are gradually flowing
And to the Gulf of Mexico
Ultimately leading towards the Gulf of Mexico
Big bayou carry me home
Asking the river to transport them to their place of origin
I took a cotton picking job in Memphis
I secured an occupation in manually removing cotton in Tennessee's city, Memphis
And the people there treated me good
The inhabitants exhibited kindness and generosity towards me
But my luck run bad in Nashville
However, I was unfortunate when I visited Nashville
I had to walked the streets of Hollywood
As a consequence, I had to spend my time roaming the avenues of Hollywood
Gotta get away
An imperative need to escape from the current situation
Gotta find a way
A decisive urge to discover an alternative path
Gotta get away home
The goal is to go back to where they belong
Oh Lord I'm going home
Expressing their intention to return to their home originating from a divine perspective
Where the fish jump in the air
Elaborating about the intriguing properties of their native environment where fishes leap out of the water
You know I don't need a lot of money
Asserting that they do not require an exorbitant amount of cash
Cause I ain't going nowhere
As they have no intentions to leave the place they truly belong to
Big bayou carry me home
Reiterating their desire for the river to facilitate their transportation to their point of origin
I'm gonna catch a southbound
Conveying their plan to board a train southwards
Train home one of these days
Boarding a train that will eventually take them to their homes
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: FLOYD GUILBEAU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind