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.
Just the Other Side of Nowhere
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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They got a lotta ice and snow here half as cold as all the people I found
Every way I've tried to go here seems to bring me down
And I seen about enough to know where I belong
I've got a mind to see the headlight
Shinin' on that old white line between my heart and home
Sick of spendin' Sundays wishing they were Mondays sittin' in a park alone
So give my best to anyone who's left who's ever done me any lovin' way but wrong
And tell 'em that the pride of just the other side of nowhere's going home
Taking nothing back to show there for these dues that I've paid
But the soul I almost sold here and the body I've been given away
Fadin' from the neon night time glow here headin' for the light of day
Just the other side of nowhere's going home
I've got a mind to see the headlight
This song by Bobby Bare, Just the Other Side of Nowhere, tells the tale of a man from an unknown place, who comes to a town and contrasts the colder temperatures of the town with the warmness of the people's hearts. He talks about his trials and errors of trying to find a suitable path to take, but always feeling let down. Tired of feeling alone, he wishes to return home, where things are much simpler. Through his journey, the singer has lost much of himself- he has given up his soul and body and realizes that there was nothing he could take back from the town to show what he has earned except for the experiences that shaped him as a person.
The song is a relatable telling of the inner struggles of life- the feeling of loneliness and the longing for a place that one can simply call home. The singer's story highlights the themes of the importance of human connection, resilience, and prioritizing one's own happiness over temporary circumstances. By the end of the song, he sets out for home, leaving behind anything and everything that would keep him from finding peace, content to have gained even just a little clarity on his journey.
Line by Line Meaning
I come from just the other side of nowhere to this big time lonesome town
I hail from a distant place unknown to many, and now I find myself in this lonely city.
They got a lotta ice and snow here half as cold as all the people I found
Though the weather may be cold, it doesn't compare to the coldness I've encountered in the people here.
Every way I've tried to go here seems to bring me down
No matter where I turn, I face disappointment and negativity.
And I seen about enough to know where I belong
I've witnessed enough of this place to understand that it's not where I belong.
I've got a mind to see the headlight
I'm determined to find my way back home, and I'm picturing the train headlight that will take me there.
Shinin' on that old white line between my heart and home
I can imagine the train tracks that guide me back to where I truly belong, connecting my heart to home.
Sick of spendin' Sundays wishing they were Mondays sittin' in a park alone
Rather than enjoying a peaceful day in the park, I'm left longing for the week to start - anything to fill the void from being alone.
So give my best to anyone who's left who's ever done me any lovin' way but wrong
I bid farewell to those who've shown me love and kindness, and hope they remember the good times.
And tell 'em that the pride of just the other side of nowhere's going home
Let them know that despite the hardships, I still have pride in where I come from, and I'm headed back there.
Taking nothing back to show there for these dues that I've paid
Despite all that I've endured here, I have nothing tangible to show for the struggles.
But the soul I almost sold here and the body I've been given away
Though I've felt like I've given away my spirit and even my physical self, I'm reclaiming those parts of me on my journey back.
Fadin' from the neon night time glow here headin' for the light of day
I'm leaving behind the bright and artificial nightlife scene, and setting my sights on the light of a new day.
Just the other side of nowhere's going home
I'm finally headed back to my true home, which is on the opposite side of the world from where I've been.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind