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.
Beggar A
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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I never thought it would turn out like this
I'd be begging for your kiss
But I must have your love
Here am I a beggar
I've reached the point of no return
I've gone too far where you're concerned
Here am I a beggar
Without your love I'm poor
But wealthy I would be
If you would eat my humble plea
And give your heart to me
Cause I must have your love
Here am I a beggar
Here am I a beggar
Without your love I'm poor
But wealthy I would be
If you would eat my humble plea
And give your heart to me
Cause I must have your love
Here am I a beggar
A beggar, beggar, beggar
The lyrics of Bobby Bare's song "Beggar A" depict a person who is desperate for the love of someone else. The singer presents an image of himself as a beggar, someone who never expected to be begging for a kiss or someone's love. He confesses to having gone too far where the person in question is concerned, and he now needs their love more than ever. The singer's desolation is apparent when he pleads with the person in question to give their heart to him, as he believes that he must have their love.
The utterances in this song display a dichotomy between poverty and wealth. At first glance, the singer appears impoverished and unable to fulfil his needs since he needs someone else's love to feel complete. However, he believes that he would be wealthy if the person he's begging from accepted his plea. The song implies that the person's love is not only something that the singer desires but something he also requires to improve his standing and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Here am I a beggar
I find myself in a position of great need
I never thought it would turn out like this
I never imagined I'd be begging for your affection
I'd be begging for your kiss
I am so desperate for your attention that I would beg for even a single kiss
But I must have your love
I am willing to go to extreme lengths to earn your love and affection
I've reached the point of no return
I have gone too far in my pursuit of your love to turn back now
I've gone too far where you're concerned
I have put all my efforts towards winning your heart and have come too far to give up now
And I need your love
I cannot survive without your love and affection
Without your love I'm poor
Your love is what gives meaning and value to my life
But wealthy I would be
If I were to have your love, I would feel rich and fulfilled
If you would eat my humble plea
If you would listen to my desperate plea for your love and affection
And give your heart to me
If you would open your heart to me and give me your love
Cause I must have your love
I am determined to have your love at any cost
A beggar, beggar, beggar
I am a beggar for your love, willing to do anything to win it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAWRENCE KUSIK, NINO ROTA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind