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.
Invisible Tears
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Indestructible memories are passing in review
Impossible though things may get improbable I will forget
Indelible memories of sweet lovable you
You're back again so I'll let you in
Although I'm only stealing pictures from the past
Those arms are not real but somehow I feel
If I'd just close my eyes then maybe it will last
Invisible tears in my eyes...
Invisible tears in my eyes...
Bobby Bare's "Invisible Tears" is an emotional ballad about the pain of lost love and the lasting memories that continue to torment the singer. Throughout the song, the lyrics express the agony of heartbreak, using the metaphor of "invisible tears" to describe the unshed tears that remain hidden inside. The singer acknowledges that although he may try to forget and move on, the memories of his lost love are indelible and indestructible, and they continue to haunt him.
In the second verse, the singer describes his feelings of longing and desperation for his lost love, admitting that he is "stealing pictures from the past" just to feel close to her again. He knows that these memories are not real, but he clings to them as a source of comfort and solace. The final repetition of the chorus underscores the theme of hidden pain and unresolved emotion, as the singer sings once again of the "invisible tears" that he cannot help but shed.
Overall, Bare's lyrics are a poignant and evocative exploration of the complex emotions surrounding lost love and heartbreak. The metaphor of "invisible tears" is particularly powerful in conveying the lasting pain and longing that can accompany a breakup, even long after the immediate tears have dried.
Line by Line Meaning
Invisible tears in my eyes incredible pain in my heart
I am crying without shedding tears because of the heart-wrenching pain I feel inside.
Indestructible memories are passing in review
I keep seeing memories of you over and over again, and they never seem to fade.
Impossible though things may get improbable I will forget
Even though it seems impossible to move on, I know it's unlikely that I will forget you.
Indelible memories of sweet lovable you
The memories I have of you are permanent and won't ever fade away.
You're back again so I'll let you in
Even though you're not physically here, I'm allowing myself to relive the memories of you.
Although I'm only stealing pictures from the past
The memories I have of you are all I have left and I'm reliving them like they're pictures.
Those arms are not real but somehow I feel
Although I can't physically touch you, I still feel like you're here with me in some way.
If I'd just close my eyes then maybe it will last
I'm trying to hold onto the memories, hoping that they will last if I just imagine them vividly enough.
Invisible tears in my eyes...
I'm still crying inside even though no one else can see it.
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NED MILLER, SUE MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Disco-Mike
Country music is so beautiful, its sad and happy in the same time, complex and easy, I love it.
Greetings from Germany
@taylortimeless
I love this version so much. I wish Nancy and Lee could have covered this too.
@tmart5430
That would somethin to hear!!
@gazzable5941
Sketter is certainly one of the greatest singers to my ears.
@TheGenehusky
I turned 18 durring the Cuban Missle Crises.I got R&R off the front lines and the first song I heard on the jukebox was by Skeeter Davis.The tears in my eyes could have floated the ship home.I had always hoped to meet her someday.I followed a music carreer but never got to tell her what she had done for a lonely Ky boy in bad times.I thought I was in love with her for sure....
@barbaragetliff123
+Gene Husky How lovely ... this song has indelible memories for me of my time in Canada many many years ago.
@yvonnepattison1524
I can never tire of listening to skeeter davis
@Rusty35081
Skeeter Davis was such a great country singer. Miss her.
@cynthiavasquez5068
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@Bobison
Very nice duet on one of my old classic country favorites. Thanks.