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.
Somebody
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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But the piddlers and the whittlers and the checker boards're gone
There's a brand new office building there
And the street known as Maple is much wider now and there are no maples to be found
Since Consolidated Whozit Subdivision of Universal-What-You-Call-It bought my old hometown
There used to be good fishin' down along the shady mill stream
You'd see 'em as they jumped and played
For Chemical Division Section A
They pulled up the flowers planted by the Ladies' Club
And took the city founder statue down
Since Consolidated Whozit Subdivision of Universal-What-You-Call-It bought my old hometown
Yeah the picture show has had it where I used to spend my Saturdays
With Jean and Roy and Pop along
Now the Brotherhood of Gismo Fixers Local 102 is making it their temporary home
They cut down the maples along Maple Street and of course the pool hall came down
Since Consolidated Whozit Subdivision of Universal-What-You-Call-It bought my old hometown
The lyrics of Bobby Bare's song "Somebody" describe the changes that have occurred in his old hometown due to industrialization. He reminisces about listening to old men's tales in the old park square, but now the piddlers, whittlers, and checker boards are gone, replaced by a brand new office building. The street known as Maple is now much wider, but there are no maples to be found anymore. The once good fishing spot by the shady mill stream is gone, replaced by Chemical Division Section A. The Ladies' Club's flowers and the city founder statue were also taken down. The picture show where Bare used to spend his Saturdays with Jean and Roy and Pop is no longer there, and the pool hall is now gone.
These lyrics demonstrate the negative impact that industrialization can have on small towns and communities. The changes described in the song are not just physical, but they also imply cultural changes as things like the checkerboards and picture shows are replaced by industrial factories and union halls.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to like to listen to the tales of the old men who sat around the old park square
I enjoyed hearing stories from elderly men who gathered in the park.
But the piddlers and the whittlers and the checker boards're gone
Now those men and their games and hobbies are no longer there.
There's a brand new office building there
An office building has replaced the park square.
And the street known as Maple is much wider now and there are no maples to be found
Maple Street has been widened and there are no longer any maple trees.
Since Consolidated Whozit Subdivision of Universal-What-You-Call-It bought my old hometown
This change occurred because a large company bought the town.
There used to be good fishin' down along the shady mill stream
The mill stream used to have great fishing.
You'd see 'em as they jumped and played
People would see the fish jumping and playing in the water.
But the blue gill and the croppie and the old mill made way
However, the fish and the old mill were removed.
For Chemical Division Section A
A section of a chemical company took over that area.
They pulled up the flowers planted by the Ladies' Club
The company also removed the flowers planted by the Ladies' Club.
And took the city founder statue down
They also removed the statue honoring the city's founder.
Yeah the picture show has had it where I used to spend my Saturdays
The movie theater where the artist used to spend Saturdays is no longer there.
With Jean and Roy and Pop along
They used to go with their friends and family.
Now the Brotherhood of Gismo Fixers Local 102 is making it their temporary home
Instead, the building has been used as a temporary home for a union called the Brotherhood of Gismo Fixers Local 102.
They cut down the maples along Maple Street and of course the pool hall came down
They also cut down the maples on Maple Street and removed the pool hall.
Since Consolidated Whozit Subdivision of Universal-What-You-Call-It bought my old hometown
This change occurred because a large company bought the town.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACK CLEMENT, VINCE MATTHEWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind