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.
Finger On The Button
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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And proclaimed myself the pilot of my soul
But my mind remains uneasy cause the rest of me
Depends on someone I don't even know
May the man who has his finger on the button have a lovely day today
Hope nothing hangs him up or ticks him off or bums him out in any way
Lord help him keep his cool cause he could pull the final curtain on my play
I can recall when only God could start the world anew
He who left his babies wasted on the shore
But now that man could have the last word if he wanted to
God ain't such a bad dude anymore
May the man who has his finger on the button have a lovely night tonight
Hope he's got himself a honey who knows what to do and I hope she does it right
And in my heart I know you won't go bananas and again he might
May the man who has his finger on the button have a lovely night tonight
May the man who has his finger
Send him over anything he wants give him a sixpack of beer
Give him my old lady my girl friend
The song "Finger On The Button" by Bobby Bare conceptualizes a world where man has the power to control his destiny, with the power to end the world being within his reach. The lyrics suggest a certain uneasy resignation to this idea, as the singer acknowledges that despite his desire to be in control of his life, the fate of the entire world is ultimately in the hands of someone he doesn't know. This idea is further played out with references to God and how man has gained the ability to have the last word if he wanted to.
The chorus of the song invokes a sense of humor and irony, as the singer hopes that the man with the finger on the button has a "lovely day" or a "lovely night" depending on the lines. The lyrics contain an element of sarcasm as the singer acknowledges the ludicrousness of the situation and highlights the irony that the fate of humanity depends on mere human whims. The singer also wishes for the man to keep his cool, suggesting that the burden of human fate can be overwhelming and precarious.
Overall, "Finger On The Button" is a poignant commentary on the idea of human control and the implications of that control on the rest of the world. The lyrics suggest a certain unease and irony in light of this idea, highlighting the absurdity of the situation while also acknowledging the grave responsibility that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I have appointed me the captain of my destiny
I am in charge of my own life and making my own decisions.
And proclaimed myself the pilot of my soul
I am responsible for determining the course of my life and guiding myself along that path.
But my mind remains uneasy cause the rest of me
Despite my confidence in myself, I am still anxious because there are external factors that I cannot control.
Depends on someone I don't even know
My fate is ultimately in the hands of someone I have never met and have no influence over.
May the man who has his finger on the button have a lovely day today
I hope the person who holds the power to end the world has a peaceful and enjoyable day.
Hope nothing hangs him up or ticks him off or bums him out in any way
I hope that nothing causes this person to become upset or angry, as they have the ability to destroy everything.
Lord help him keep his cool cause he could pull the final curtain on my play
I pray that this person remains level-headed and does not make a decision that results in the end of humanity.
I can recall when only God could start the world anew
In the past, the power to create or destroy the world was believed to be in the hands of a higher power.
He who left his babies wasted on the shore
This higher power was sometimes seen as cruel, allowing innocent people to suffer.
But now that man could have the last word if he wanted to
Now, human beings have the power to end the world, which is a monumental responsibility.
God ain't such a bad dude anymore
The power dynamics have shifted, and prior beliefs about the morality of a higher power controlling the world have changed.
May the man who has his finger on the button have a lovely night tonight
I hope that the person who holds the fate of the world in their hands has a peaceful and restful night.
Hope he's got himself a honey who knows what to do and I hope she does it right
I hope this person has a partner who is capable of providing the support they need to make wise decisions.
And in my heart I know you won't go bananas and again he might
Although I trust that this person will make responsible choices, I acknowledge that anything is possible given the weight of their power.
May the man who has his finger on the button have a lovely night tonight
Once again, I hope that the person with the power to end the world has a peaceful and restful night.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILKERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind