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.
Deepening Snow
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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Little kids will be thrilled when they awaken and look at the fields deep and white
But the snow makes me think of my darling how she hated the snow and the cold
Now she lies in a grave back in Knoxville with a headstone that's just one year old
Please make the winter go quick Lord so the flowers around her can grow
I can't stand the thought of my loved one lying there in the deepening snow
Little Nancy climbs upon my knee now and I guess she's much too young to know
Please make the winter go quick Lord
Lying there in the deepening snow
The song "Deepening Snow" by Bobby Bare revolves around a man who is sitting and watching the snowfall during the night, while reminiscing about his beloved wife who passed away a year ago and is now buried in Knoxville. He is haunted by the thoughts of how much she hated the cold and snow and he cannot bear the thought of her lying there in the deepening snow. As he watches the snow, he prays to the Lord to make the winter go quickly so that the flowers can grow around her grave. The man is distraught and deeply saddened by her loss, and he tries to express his love for his wife through the kiss he gives to their daughter Nancy, who is too young to understand.
The lyrics are simple yet powerful, evoking strong emotions of love, loss, and longing. The snow becomes a metaphor for the chilling grip of death, and the deepening snow represents the increasing weight of grief that the man has to bear. The song highlights the universal human experience of dealing with loss and the overwhelming grief that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
It's snowing out there in the gloaming
There is snow falling outside during the twilight period
I've sat here and watched it all night
I've been watching the snowfall for the whole night
Little kids will be thrilled when they awaken and look at the fields deep and white
Children will be excited to see the snow covering the fields when they wake up
But the snow makes me think of my darling how she hated the snow and the cold
The snow reminds me of my beloved who disliked the snow and cold
Now she lies in a grave back in Knoxville with a headstone that's just one year old
My beloved passed away and has been buried in Knoxville for only a year
Please make the winter go quick Lord so the flowers around her can grow
I pray to God for winter to pass quickly so the flowers can grow around my beloved's grave
I can't stand the thought of my loved one lying there in the deepening snow
The thought of my beloved lying in the snow, which is getting deeper, is unbearable
Little Nancy climbs upon my knee now and I guess she's much too young to know
My young daughter Nancy sits on my lap, but she is too young to understand
That the kiss I give was meant for her mother lying there in the deepening snow
The kiss I give to Nancy is actually meant for her deceased mother buried in the snow
Please make the winter go quick Lord
I pray to God for the winter to end soon
Lying there in the deepening snow
Referring to the beloved who is buried in the snow
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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