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.
What Color
Bobby Bare Lyrics
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With picture and crayons in his hand
He said, "When I grow up, this is a man I want to be
Daddy, what color is a man?"
"When I'm a man, I want to be happy
I want to be strong and free
I want to be brave like a soldier
If you color him blue son, he may not be a happy man
If you color him red son, someone may steal his land
If you color him green or yellow, he may be jealous and cowardly
If you color him black son, he may never be free
He told him, "Son, put your crayons away
And try your best to understand
Man′s never made of any color, my boy
Color never made any man, any man..."
(No man, no man, no man, no man)
The song "What Color" by Bobby Bare explores the concept of color and its association with identity, race, and societal perceptions. The lyrics begin with a young boy sitting on his father's knee, holding a picture and crayons, asking what color is a man. The boy goes on to express his desire to be happy, strong, and brave like a soldier and asks his father which crayon he should use to color himself. The father advises against using any particular color to identify a man's identity.
The father cautions the young boy about the implications of coloring a man a certain color. If the boy chooses blue or red, it could affect the man's happiness and his land. If he uses green or yellow, it suggests that he might be jealous and cowardly. If he colors him black, it could affect his freedom. In essence, color should not be used to define a person or his abilities, as it can lead to negative bias and prejudice.
The father's final advice is to put the crayons away and understand that man is made up of more than just color. He tells his son that no individual color makes any man who he is. The song is a call to transcend color and to view people without judgment or prejudice based on their skin color.
Line by Line Meaning
One day, a little boy climbed up on his daddy′s knee
A young boy sat down on his father's lap one day.
With picture and crayons in his hand
He had a drawing and some crayons in his grasp.
He said, "When I grow up, this is a man I want to be
Daddy, what color is a man?"
The boy pointed to a picture and expressed his desire to be like that man. He then asked his father what color a man is.
"When I'm a man, I want to be happy
I want to be strong and free
I want to be brave like a soldier
What crayon should I use to color me?"
The boy aspired to be happy, strong, free, and courageous like a soldier. He asked his father which crayon he should use to draw himself.
If you color him blue son, he may not be a happy man
If you color him red son, someone may steal his land
If you color him green or yellow, he may be jealous and cowardly
If you color him black son, he may never be free
The father warned his son of the dangers of coloring a man with different colors. Blue may lead to sadness, red to land loss, green or yellow to jealousy and cowardice, and black to lack of freedom.
He told him, "Son, put your crayons away
And try your best to understand
Man′s never made of any color, my boy
Color never made any man, any man..."
The father instructed his son to put away his crayons and to understand that a man is not defined by his color. He emphasized that color doesn't make a man who he is.
Writer(s): M. Barton
Contributed by Avery F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.