In the fifties after many failed attempts to sell his songs, he finally was signed up with Capitol Records and recorded a few rock and roll songs without much chart success. Just before he was drafted into the Army, he wrote a song called 'The All American Boy' and did a demo for his friend, Bill Parsons, to learn and record it. Instead of using the version Bill Parsons did later, the record company, Fraternity Records, decided to use the original demo done by Bobby Bare. The record reached number 2 on the Billboard Top 100, but it was wrongly credited to Bill Parsons.
His real big break came when RCA boss and guitarist Chet Atkins signed him to the RCA label. The first song he released on this label, 'Shame On Me', sold nearly a million copies and pushed Bobby Bare to fame overnight. His second RCA release, 'Detroit City' won him a Grammy for the best song of the year. Then a surge of hits followed, including '500 Miles Away From Home', 'Four Strong Winds' and others. He has also recorded two very successful albums with Skeeter Davis and has also dueted with Lacy J. Dalton and Rosanne Cash and additionally had a major hit as part of a trio with Norma Jean (singer) and Liz Anderson in 1967 titled 'The Game of Triangles'.
He moved to Mercury label in 1970 and had two big hits from early Kris Kristofferson compositions, 'Come Sundown' and 'Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends' before returning to RCA label where he produced his own records. Later Bare moved to CBS label and in 1979, he helped establish Rosanne Cash's career by singing with her on "No Memories Hangin' Round". Bare's singles for Columbia Records included 'The Jogger', 'Tequila Sheila', 'Gotta Get Rid Of This Band', 'When Hippies Get Older' and 'Numbers'. He later recorded for EMI with little success.
Bobby Bare is a versatile singer, and in the 70s started to release novelty songs recorded live with selected audiences. One of such songs, 'Marie Laveau' about a witch, reached the number one position on the country chart. This song was written by his friend, a very talented song writer, poet, author and cartoonist Shel Silverstein. He also penned many other songs for Bobby Bare including a Grammy nominated hit called 'Daddy What If' which he recorded with his five year old son, Bobby Bare Jr, who later became a star on his own. Bobby Bare later recorded a very successful album with his family and penned mainly by Shel called 'Singing in The Kitchen'. It was nominated for best group category in Grammy Awards but was declined by Bobby himself.
He later took chances recording strange, controversial material as 'Dropkick Me Jesus (Through The Goalposts Of Life)' (a 1976 Grammy nominee) and the expletive-driven 'Redneck Hippie Romance' with much success.
Bobby Bare is also the first to come up with a concept album called 'Bird Named Yesterday' which was very successful. His most successful concept album is 'Lullaby Legends and Lies'.
Bobby Bare was also given an opportunity to star in the movies. He did a Western with Troy Donahue called A Distant Trumpet, and a few episodes of a TV series called No Time for Sergeants. He turned his back on Hollywood to pursue his career in Country Music.
In 1998 he formed the band Old Dogs together with his friends Jerry Reed, Mel Tillis and Waylon Jennings.
In addition to the above, Bobby Bare is credited for introducing Waylon Jennings to RCA. He is also one of the first to record from many well known song writers such as Jack Clement, Harlan Howard, Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey Newberry, Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson, and many others. He later had a TV series called 'Bobby Bare & Friends, A Song Writer Showcase'. Recently, he has recorded a new album after over 20 years called 'The Moon Was Blue' produced by his son. His son, Bobby Bare, Jr., is also a musician.
Autumn of My Life
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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She brought sunshine where winter winds had blown
Then i took her for my wife in the spring of my life
And she brought me a joy i never known
And the years they went by in the spring of my life
And in summer she blessed me with a child
Love continued to grow in the summer of my life
And in every morning sun i saw her smile
And i knew that our lives was in the past
Though i've tried to pretend i knew it was the end
For the autumn of my life had come at last
Now just what do you say to a child only ten
How do you tell him that his daddy's going away
I wonder do i tell him that i reached the autumn of my life
And that perhaps he'll understand some cold winter's day
Now the rose can't be found on the snow covered ground
And the sun cannot shine through cloudy skies
But i'm richer you see for the years she gave to me
And i am content in the autumn of my life
The lyrics of "Autumn of My Life" by Bobby Bare is a reflection on the stages of life, from the spring of youth to the autumn years of old age. The song begins with the memories of the singer's early years, when he first met the woman who would become his wife. She brought happiness to the singer's life, and they had a child together during the summer years of their marriage. The love between them continued to grow, and the singer saw his wife's smile every morning.
However, the autumn of the singer's life came, and he noticed tears in his wife's eyes. He knew that their lives were in the past, and he had to face the reality that their end was near. He struggles to accept this fact, and wonders how he can explain this to his son, who is only ten years old. He reflects on the changing seasons, how the roses can't be found on the snow-covered ground, and the sun cannot shine through cloudy skies. Despite all this, he finds contentment in the autumn of his life, as he cherishes the memories and the love that his wife had given him.
The song tells a story about the inevitable changes that life brings, about love and loss, and the acceptance of old age. It is a touching and emotional tribute to the passage of time and the seasons of life.
Line by Line Meaning
In the spring of my life she came to me
When I was young, I met the woman who I thought was the love of my life.
She brought sunshine where winter winds had blown
Her presence made my life happier.
Then i took her for my wife in the spring of my life
I married her when we were both young.
And she brought me a joy i never known
She made me happier than I could have ever imagined.
And the years they went by in the spring of my life
We spent many happy years together when we were young.
And in summer she blessed me with a child
We had a child when we were in the prime of our lives.
Love continued to grow in the summer of my life
Our love for each other continued to deepen and strengthen as we grew older.
And in every morning sun I saw her smile
Her smile brought me joy every day.
In the autumn of my years I noticed the tears
As we grew older, my wife and I began to experience more hardships and sadness.
And I knew that our lives was in the past
I realized that our best years were behind us and that there was no going back.
Though I've tried to pretend I knew it was the end
I tried to deny the truth, but deep down I knew that our time together was coming to a close.
For the autumn of my life had come at last
I had entered the final phase of my life, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Now just what do you say to a child only ten
I had a difficult time finding the right words to tell my young child about my situation.
How do you tell him that his daddy's going away
I had to explain to my child that I would be leaving him soon.
I wonder do I tell him that I reached the autumn of my life
I wondered if I should explain to him about the inevitability of growing old and passing away.
And that perhaps he'll understand some cold winter's day
I hoped that my child would be able to comprehend my situation as he grew older and gained more life experience.
Now the rose can't be found on the snow covered ground
As I got older, life became more difficult and the things I once enjoyed became harder to come by.
And the sun cannot shine through cloudy skies
I began to see more and more dark days as I got older, which made me appreciate the good times even more.
But I'm richer you see for the years she gave to me
Despite the hardships, I felt grateful for the many happy years I spent with my wife.
And I am content in the autumn of my life
Ultimately, I was able to find peace and contentment in my final years.
Writer(s): Bobby Goldsboro
Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.