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.
Rock Star's Lament
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a bottle of bad whiskey I gave up my fancy boots
Now I stand here on the corner with a sad sad tail to tell
Once a rock star now a drunker with no song left to sell
Hide a face you might remember hide a voice you may recall
It was that cold night in December when we played Carnegie Hall
Now we're smokin' marijuana singin' flat but doin' well
I have pawned my golden records. I have sold my sequent suits
For a bottle of bad whiskey I gave up my fancy boots
Now I stand here on the corner with a sad sad tail to tell
Once a rock star now a drunker with no song left to sell
Once a rock star now a drunker with no song left to sell
With no song left to sell
In the lyrics of Bobby Bare's song "Rock Star's Lament," the singer reflects on the downfall of a once successful rock star who has fallen into a life of addiction and despair. The opening lines reveal that the singer has resorted to pawning their golden records and selling their extravagant suits to fund their destructive habits, symbolized by trading them for "a bottle of bad whiskey" and giving up their fancy boots. This imagery sets the tone for a narrative of loss and regret as the rock star's life unravels.
The mention of standing on the corner with a "sad sad tail to tell" paints a picture of a disillusioned individual who once commanded the stage and now finds themselves reduced to a mere shadow of their former self. The contrast between the glory of being a rock star and the desolation of being a "drunker with no song left to sell" highlights the stark decline in the singer's life and career. The use of repetition in these lines emphasizes the sense of finality and hopelessness in the situation.
The lyrics delve into a flashback of a memorable performance at Carnegie Hall, where the singer recalls a time of success and recognition. However, this momentary glimpse of past glory is juxtaposed with the present reality of "smokin' marijuana singin' flat but doin' well," suggesting that even in the midst of apparent contentment, the seeds of self-destruction were already sown. The mention of "tak[ing] my first drink of whiskey" as the turning point towards a downward spiral underscores the destructive power of addiction.
As the song circles back to the refrain of pawning records and giving up suits for whiskey, the repetition serves as a haunting reminder of the singer's self-inflicted downfall. The poignant conclusion of being a "drunker with no song left to sell" encapsulates the loss of creativity, purpose, and identity that accompanies the rock star's descent into oblivion. The repetition of this final line drives home the tragic inevitability of a once celebrated figure now being reduced to a pitiful existence with no hope of redemption. Through vivid imagery and introspective storytelling, "Rock Star's Lament" conveys a cautionary tale of fame, excess, and the harrowing consequences of losing oneself to addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
I have pawned my golden records
I have sacrificed my success and achievements
I have sold my sequent suits
I have given up my glamorous lifestyle
For a bottle of bad whiskey I gave up my fancy boots
I traded luxury for self-destructive habits
Now I stand here on the corner with a sad sad tail to tell
Now I find myself in a sorry state, with a story of decline to share
Once a rock star now a drunker with no song left to sell
Previously successful in music, now struggling with addiction and an empty creative well
Hide a face you might remember
Conceal a familiar identity
Hide a voice you may recall
Obscure a recognizable sound
It was that cold night in December when we played Carnegie Hall
Recalling a memorable performance at a prestigious venue
Now we're smokin' marijuana singin' flat but doin' well
Engaging in destructive behavior while continuing to perform adequately
Till I took my first drink of whiskey we started down the road to hell
The moment my addiction began, leading us towards destruction
Once a rock star now a drunker with no song left to sell
Previously successful in music, now struggling with addiction and an empty creative well
Once a rock star now a drunker with no song left to sell
Previously successful in music, now struggling with addiction and an empty creative well
With no song left to sell
Having nothing left to offer in terms of music or performance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KOLLER, SILVERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind