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.
Me and Bobby Mc Gee
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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Waitin' for the train
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down
Just before it rained
Rode us all the way to New Orleans
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna
And was playing soft
With them windshield wipers slappin' time
I was holdin' Bobby's hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free
Feelin' good was easy, Lord,
When he sang the blues
And feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
From Kentucky coal mines
To the California sun
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, Lord
Through everything I done
Bobby baby kept me from the cold
Then somewhere near Salinas, Lord
I let him slip away
Lookin' for the home I hope he'll find it
And I'd trade all of my tomorrows
For one single yesterday
Holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin' left is all that Bobby left me
Feelin good was easy, Lord
When he sang the blues
And buddy, that was good enough for me
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
The lyrics of Bobby Bare's song Me and Bobby Mc Gee depict a story of a runaway couple, who are trying to escape the mundanity of their lives and seek freedom on the road. The song begins with the singer and Bobby being in a difficult situation, stranded in Baton Rouge, waiting for the train. They are exhausted and left with nothing but their faded clothes. Bobby manages to hitch a ride in a diesel truck that is headed towards New Orleans. The singer takes out his harpoon and starts playing it while Bobby sings the blues. They both bask in the joy of freedom and feel good while singing their hearts out.
The journey of the duo continues as they travel across states, from the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun, and share the secrets of their souls. Bobby consoles and supports the singer through thick and thin. However, they part ways near Salinas, with the hope that Bobby will find his way back home. The singer reminisces about the good times they had together and how he would trade everything for one moment to hold Bobby's body next to his. The song ends with the repetition of the realization that freedom is just another word for having nothing left to lose.
Line by Line Meaning
Busted flat in Baton Rouge
Stranded and out of luck in Baton Rouge
Waitin' for the train
Passing time waiting for transportation
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Feeling physically and emotionally worn out
Bobby thumbed a diesel down
Bobby hitchhiked a ride on a truck
Just before it rained
Right before the start of a rainstorm
Rode us all the way to New Orleans
The truck driver took them all the way to New Orleans
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna
The singer took out their harmonica from their bandanna
And was playing soft
Playing a slow and gentle tune
While Bobby sang the blues
Bobby sang a sad and soulful song
With them windshield wipers slappin' time
The rain hitting the windshield made a beat that matched the music
I was holdin' Bobby's hand in mine
The singer was holding Bobby's hand
We sang every song that driver knew
They sang all the songs that the truck driver knew
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
When you have nothing left, you have the freedom to do anything
Nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free
Things that have no value are still free
Feelin' good was easy, Lord,
It was easy to feel good
When he sang the blues
When Bobby sang the sad songs
And feelin' good was good enough for me
Just feeling good was enough for the artist
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
They were happy with feeling good and being together
From Kentucky coal mines
From the coal mines of Kentucky
To the California sun
All the way to California
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Bobby knew the artist's deepest thoughts and feelings
Through all kinds of weather, Lord
Through good and bad times
Through everything I done
Through everything the singer had gone through
Bobby baby kept me from the cold
Bobby protected the artist from the harshness of the world
Then somewhere near Salinas, Lord
Somewhere close to Salinas
I let him slip away
The singer lost Bobby
Lookin' for the home I hope he'll find it
The singer hopes Bobby will find his way home
And I'd trade all of my tomorrows
The artist would give up all their future days
For one single yesterday
To relive one day with Bobby again
Holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
The singer wants to be close to Bobby again
Nothin' left is all that Bobby left me
All the singer has left of Bobby is memories
And buddy, that was good enough for me
Those memories were all the artist needed to feel good
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
Being with Bobby was all the artist needed to feel happy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRED L FOSTER, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind