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.
Big Ben Colson
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When she met a wealthy gentleman Big Ben Colson and she had a child by him
Well he promised her a wedding that would give their child a name
But she waited at the altar till the sunset but her Big Ben never came
But she's not a bad girl didn't mean no wrong
She just loved the wrong man much too strong
Now he sits with the dignitaries and the wealthy ladies all love his charms
But she's not a bad girl...
The lyrics of Bobby Bare's song "Big Ben Colson" tells a story of a young and innocent woman who fell victim to a wealthy man's desires. She found herself having a child with him and was promised a grand wedding that would give their child a name. Unfortunately, the man, Big Ben Colson, never showed up at the altar, leaving the woman humiliated and heartbroken. However, the song portrays her character as virtuous despite her circumstance. She didn't do anything wrong, she simply fell in love with the wrong man too strongly.
Meanwhile, Big Ben Colson found himself among the wealthy and powerful, surrounded by elegant women who were charmed by him. While he enjoyed his lavish lifestyle, the woman who he took advantage of was forced to live in a lonely shack in Alabama, raising their child on her own. But the lyrics of the song also suggest that the woman maintains her dignity and never stoops to becoming a "bad girl."
The song explores the harsh reality of inequality and the power dynamics resulting from social class, which can have lasting effects on those who fall victim to it. It also touches on themes of love, heartbreak, and morality.
Line by Line Meaning
She was young and she was pretty a victim of a rich man's whim
She was a youthful and beautiful woman who was taken advantage of by a wealthy man's desire.
When she met a wealthy gentleman Big Ben Colson and she had a child by him
She got into a relationship with a prosperous man named Big Ben Colson, and they had a child together.
Well he promised her a wedding that would give their child a name
He made a vow to her that they would have a grand wedding which would give their child a legitimate family name.
But she waited at the altar till the sunset but her Big Ben never came
Nevertheless, she waited at the altar until the sunset, but Big Ben did not come.
But she's not a bad girl didn't mean no wrong
Despite what had befallen her, she is not a bad woman and did not do anything wrong.
She just loved the wrong man much too strong
Her only mistake was loving the wrong man too deeply.
Now he sits with the dignitaries and the wealthy ladies all love his charms
Currently, he is in the company of important people who adore his appealing personality and charm.
While she sits in a lonely shack in Alabama with his baby in her arms
In the meantime, she resides in an isolated dwelling in Alabama with her baby, holding Big Ben's child.
But she's not a bad girl...
... and should not be judged for the mistake of falling in love with an unfit partner.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind