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.
Brooklyn bridge
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, there I stood in the great big city
Where the buildings're tall and the girls're all pretty
Up stepped a man he said come here son
I got a big deal now if you got the mon'
I bought the Brooklyn Bridge
Two dollars, two cigarettes and an autograph picture of Elvis.
Well, I kept my bridge for a day or so
But then my money was a runnin' low
And I tried to make me a sale
But the man done come and he took me to jail.
Said I's crazy, laughed at
Told me that a society frowned upon them.
Well, then he stood me up in a front of a judge
I stood there a grinnin' but the judge didn't budge.
He said 30 dollars or 30 days
And I looked at him and all I could say
Was all that take 30 dollars, couldn't make that 35 could you
Spend all my money on that bridge.
Well, after 90 days in that man's jail
I still tryin' to make me a sale
Met some cat called Skid Row Pete
So I traded it off for 52nd Street.
Big deal, oh big man of action,
A big transaction.
I bet the folks back home could never realize
That in a great big town this size
Boy like theirs could own the street
Spend his days just to keepin' it neat.
Pickin' up cigarette butts, wine bottles
Terrorizing the pedestrians, hoo them pigeons
I bet old Skid Row Pete ain't got no pigeons
On the Brooklyn Bridge...
The lyrics of Bobby Bare's song "Brooklyn Bridge" tell the story of a naive young man who is fooled into buying the famous bridge by a con artist in the big city. The singer is walking around the city, admiring the tall buildings and pretty girls when he is approached by a man who offers him a "big deal" for the bridge. The young man parts with his money and even an autographed picture of Elvis Presley to seal the deal. However, soon he realizes that he has been duped and tries to sell the bridge, but is caught by the authorities and sent to jail.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a young and innocent man falling prey to the tricks of the big city. The singer is contrasted with the jaded and cynical characters he encounters, such as Skid Row Pete, who he eventually trades the bridge with for 52nd Street. The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of being too trusting and naive in a fast-paced and treacherous urban environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, there I stood in the great big city
The singer finds himself in a large urban center.
Where the buildings're tall and the girls're all pretty
He notes the physical beauty of the city and its people.
Up stepped a man he said come here son
A stranger approaches and attempts to solicit the singer's business.
I got a big deal now if you got the mon'
The man presents a lucrative opportunity but requires funds from the artist.
I bought the Brooklyn Bridge
The man claims to have purchased an iconic landmark which he is offering to sell.
Two dollars, two cigarettes and an autograph picture of Elvis.
The ludicrously low asking price suggests that the man is a charlatan, unworthy of trust.
Well, I kept my bridge for a day or so
The singer buys the Bridge, but his ownership does not last long.
But then my money was a runnin' low
The initial purchase leaves him financially strained.
And I tried to make me a sale
He attempts to pass off the Brooklyn Bridge to someone else in order to recoup his investment.
But the man done come and he took me to jail.
The authorities do not look kindly on such fraudulent behavior and detain the artist accordingly.
Said I's crazy, laughed at
The law enforcement officers and the general public view the singer as foolish.
Told me that a society frowned upon them.
The practice of tricking others through false pretenses is not socially acceptable.
Well, then he stood me up in a front of a judge
The singer must appear in court and face charges related to his attempted sale of the Brooklyn Bridge.
I stood there a grinnin' but the judge didn't budge.
The singer's lighthearted attitude does not impress the judge or influence the sentence.
He said 30 dollars or 30 days
The judge hands down a sentence of a fine or imprisonment, requiring the singer to choose between the two.
And I looked at him and all I could say
The artist reacts with shock and disbelief.
Was all that take 30 dollars, couldn't make that 35 could you
He attempts to negotiate a lower fine, despite having only himself to blame for his predicament.
Spend all my money on that bridge.
The singer lost his funds in a frivolous and misguided expenditure.
Well, after 90 days in that man's jail
The singer serves a lengthy prison sentence related to the Brooklyn Bridge affair.
I still tryin' to make me a sale
Despite his mistakes, the artist remains focused on financial gain rather than learning from his errors.
Met some cat called Skid Row Pete
The artist encounters another individual with a dubious background and poor reputation.
So I traded it off for 52nd Street.
He sells the Brooklyn Bridge to Skid Row Pete for another piece of valuable locality.
Big deal, oh big man of action,
The singer views this latest transaction as a major success.
A big transaction.
The exchange generates significant funds for the artist.
I bet the folks back home could never realize
The singer reflects on how his unconventional pursuits would baffle people in his hometown.
That in a great big town this size
The vastness of the city is a contributing factor to the singer's unchecked recklessness.
Boy like theirs could own the street
The singer is startled to find himself in possession of another valuable location in the city.
Spend his days just to keepin' it neat.
Rather than cash in, the artist uses his time and resources to maintain the appearance of his new street.
Pickin' up cigarette butts, wine bottles
The artist is willing to do menial tasks in the name of upkeep.
Terrorizing the pedestrians, hoo them pigeons
However, his odd behavior has negative impacts on the public and on local wildlife.
I bet old Skid Row Pete ain't got no pigeons
The singer finds vindictive pleasure in speculating about the inferiority of his former business associate.
On the Brooklyn Bridge...
The Brooklyn Bridge, which once held such significance for the artist, is now a distant memory.
Contributed by Mason J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.