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.
Times are gettin' hard
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Times're gettin' hard boy time to move along
Gonna take my true love by the hand lead her from this town
Times're gettin' hard boy we're California bound
Pack up everything we own that won't take us long
Say goodbye today because tomorrow we'll be gone
It's hard to leave this place it's been hometown for so long
Sometimes I drink cause sometimes I think maybe I was born with a curse
Things don't get no better for me they just go from bad to worse
You know I spent my entire life learned my trade and working hard
Then one day the bossman brought some big machines
And next day he told me I was fired
Times're gettin' hard boy
"Bobby Bare's song Times are Gettin' Hard" tells a story of a man who is facing financial difficulties and is left with no choice but to leave town with his true love for California. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who has worked hard all his life, but due to the introduction of modern machines in his trade, he finds himself unemployed. He drinks to numb the pain and curses his luck, and even though it's hard, he has to leave the town he's called home for so long.
The first few lines of the song clearly state the theme of financial struggles. The singer laments about the fact that money is running out, and it's time to move along. He realizes that he needs to take his true love with him, who will be his support and comfort in difficult times. In the second stanza, the man acknowledges the difficulty in leaving this town, but he believes that this is what he has to do to get away from misery. He also mentions how his life has been a curse, and things have only gone from bad to worse.
The third stanza is a reflection of how the man's life has taken a turn for the worse due to technological advancements in his trade. The use of big machines has made him redundant, and he has lost his job. The line "Times're gettin' hard boy" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the theme of difficulties and hardships.
Line by Line Meaning
Times're gettin' hard boy money's almost gone
The financial situation is deteriorating, and we nearly have no money left.
Times're gettin' hard boy time to move along
It's time to leave this place, and venture out to another town.
Gonna take my true love by the hand lead her from this town
I'm going to guide my beloved out of this town.
Times're gettin' hard boy we're California bound
We are headed to California to search for better opportunities.
Pack up everything we own that won't take us long
We are only carrying things that won't occupy much space.
Say goodbye today because tomorrow we'll be gone
We are bidding farewell as we prepare to leave tomorrow.
It's hard to leave this place it's been hometown for so long
It's challenging to say goodbye to this place since it's been our hometown for a long time.
Oh but the men can't live with nothing's right and everything goes wrong
It's impossible for people to survive when nothing is going well, and everything is going wrong.
Sometimes I drink cause sometimes I think maybe I was born with a curse
At times, I drink because I contemplate if I was born with a jinx or am unlucky.
Things don't get no better for me they just go from bad to worse
My life keeps getting worse as things keep deteriorating with time and no visible improvements.
You know I spent my entire life learned my trade and working hard
I invested my whole life in mastering my profession and toiling hard.
Then one day the bossman brought some big machines
One day, my boss introduced heavy machinery into the workplace.
And next day he told me I was fired
The following day, he terminated my employment.
Times're gettin' hard boy
The times are becoming tough.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOBBY BARE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind