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.
Everybody’s Talkin’
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
Thru' the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off of the North East wind
Sailing on summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
The lyrics to Bobby Bare's song Everybody's Talkin' describe a person who feels disconnected from the people around them. The first two lines suggest that the singer is being bombarded with other people's opinions and chatter, but that they are not able to process or understand it. Instead, they are lost in their own thoughts, represented by "the echoes of my mind." The repetition of "I don't hear a word they're saying" emphasizes the feeling of being out of sync with those around them.
The next lines describe the physical manifestation of this feeling of disconnection. The singer can see the people around them, but only as indistinct shadows. They are unable to connect with anyone on an emotional level, again emphasizing the sense of isolation and loneliness.
The final lines of the song offer a glimpse of hope. The singer talks about going "where the sun keeps shining/Thru' the pouring rain," suggesting a place of warmth and comfort. They are leaving behind the cold and harsh Northeast wind and setting out on a journey that will take them to a place where they feel more at home. The line "sailing on summer breeze/And skipping over the ocean like a stone" adds to the sense of freedom and the idea of leaving behind the weight of their troubles and worries.
Overall, the song describes the feeling of being disconnected from the world around you and the search for a place where you can be yourself and feel at home.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talking at me
People are constantly trying to communicate with me
I don't hear a word they're saying
I am not listening or paying attention to their words
Only the echoes of my mind
I am only hearing my own thoughts and ideas
People stopping staring
Others around me are stopping and looking at me
I can't see their faces
I cannot distinguish or recognize their features
Only the shadows of their eyes
All I see are the dark areas around their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
I am seeking a place with continuous sunshine
Thru' the pouring rain
Despite the heavy and consistent rainfall
Going where the weather suits my clothes
I am searching for a place where I feel comfortable and suitable
Backing off of the North East wind
I am moving away from the cold, harsh winds in the Northeast region
Sailing on summer breeze
I am enjoying the warm, refreshing breeze of summer
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I am floating and skipping over the waves of the vast ocean
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: FRED NEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joseph Harder
Fred Neil's undisputed masterpiece, done by a great man of American music.
Brenda Fretwell
good song Bobby i love it just one reason that you are my favorite singer you can sing anything!