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.
Ride Me Down Easy
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The rides they is scarce as the rain
When you're down to your last shuck with nothing to sell
And too far away from the train
Been a good month of Sunday's and a guitar ago
I had a tall drink of yesterday's wine
Left a long string of friends, some sheets in the wind
And some satisfied women behind
So won't you ride me down easy, Lord ride me on down
Leave word in the dust where I lay
Say I'm easy come, easy go
And easy to love when I stay
I've put snow on the mountain, raised hell on the hill
Locked horns with the devil himself
Been a rodeo bum, a son of a gun
And a hobo with stars in his crown
Bobby Bare's song "Ride Me Down Easy" speaks intimately about the hardships of traveling along desolate roads and the toll it can take on a person. With the opening line "This old highway she's hotter than nine kinds of hell," Bare personifies the road as an oppressive entity that, when leaving one with nothing to sell, can be isolating and discouraging. However, the song also highlights the joys of the road and the eclectic experiences one can have. Bare sings of having had a month’s worth of Sunday's and a guitar ago, a metaphor for a long time, in which he had several experiences that have left him with satisfied memories. The line "Some sheets in the wind and some satisfied women behind" highlights the character’s love of freedom and the gypsy lifestyle.
The song’s title, “Ride Me Down Easy,” can be interpreted as an appeal to accept the decisions he has made and overlook any faults or shortcomings. This is especially true when considering the lines “Say I'm easy come, easy go, and easy to love when I stay,” which suggest that Bare is a restless character constantly on the move, but when he stays with someone for a while, he is a loving and loyal partner. The song goes on to reveal the different roles the character has taken on in his life, such as a rodeo bum, a son of a gun, and even a hobo with stars in his crown. These various experiences have made him the person he is, for better or worse, and the song is a plea for acceptance despite these experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
This old highway she's hotter than nine kinds of hell
The highway is extremely hot and uncomfortable to travel on.
The rides they is scarce as the rain
It is difficult to find someone to give you a ride.
When you're down to your last shuck with nothing to sell
When you're broke and have nothing left to your name.
And too far away from the train
And too far away from a way to escape.
Been a good month of Sunday's and a guitar ago
A very long time has passed since the last good thing happened.
I had a tall drink of yesterday's wine
I had a lot of alcohol that is now old and stale.
Left a long string of friends, some sheets in the wind
Left behind many friends, and some drunken memories.
And some satisfied women behind
And some women who were pleased with my company.
So won't you ride me down easy, Lord ride me on down
Please give me a smooth ride, Lord, take me down safely.
Leave word in the dust where I lay
Leave a message behind where I am left behind.
Say I'm easy come, easy go
Say that I am a carefree person.
And easy to love when I stay
And easy to love when I am not leaving.
I've put snow on the mountain, raised hell on the hill
I have experienced highs and lows and lived life to the fullest.
Locked horns with the devil himself
I've faced challenging and difficult situations.
Been a rodeo bum, a son of a gun
I have lived a life full of adventure and recklessness.
And a hobo with stars in his crown
And even though I'm a wanderer, I have a sense of greatness about me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Billy Shaver
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Errol Deskin
This old highway she's hotter than nine kinds of hell
The rides they is scarce as the rain
When you're down to your last shuck with nothing to sell
And too far away from the train
Been a good month of Sunday's and a guitar ago
I had a tall drink of yesterday's wine
Left a long string of friends, some sheets in the wind
And some satisfied women behind
So won't you ride me down easy, Lord ride me on down
Leave word in the dust where I lay
Say I'm easy come, easy go
And easy to love when I stay
I've put snow on the mountain, raised hell on the hill
Locked horns with the devil himself
Been a rodeo bum, a son of a gun
And a hobo with stars in his crown
David Bell
A very much under-rated singer. He went his own way and did his own thing, and I like that. I hope his music will never go away. What a loss that would be.
Cotton Top
@Andy Norvell 17 and he’s always been my favorite singer
Andy Norvell
Im 38 and l love it..
Pieter Domburg
Bare is a great country legend. One of the greatest of all times!
Glenn Luttrell
They say it takes a good man to cry, how do you know when you have tears running down your cheeks, thank goodness for good music
Random Viral
From one Glenn to another. The feelings for fine pieces of art, such as this is a whole different universe. Cheers bud
Deb Jones
I looked for this song forever!!! Thrilled to find it!
FRANCO MARIC
one of the GREATEST EVER!
Laurel Ferguson
I remember hearing this song years ago. I don't think they played it enough then. It gives such a feeling of meloncoly to me anyway.
Elsie Pernat
I have never heard a bad Bare song...his voice is magic to the songs he sings.