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 Did It Get Me
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not a doer but honey I did for you
What did it get me, what did it get me?
I'm not a cryer but I cried for you
I'm not a lover but I slept with you
What did it get me, what did it get me?
A heart full of memories and smiles
And a closet full of pictures I've been going through
And it got me thinking I had might have been
Wishing I could do it over once again
But once again I lie awake and think of you.
You're not a believer but you believed in me
You're not a dreamer but you dreamed with me
What did it get me, what did it get me?
Well it got me thinking I had might have been
Wishing I could do it over once again
But once again I lie awake and think of you
What did it get me, what did it get me?
What did it get me for you?...
The lyrics of Bobby Bare's "What Did It Get Me?" seem to represent a reflective and introspective perspective of a failed relationship. The singer is questioning the choices they made and what they got out of it, knowing that they are not the type of person who would normally do some of the things they did for this person. He tells us that he is not a believer or a doer, yet he believed and did things for her. He also claims that he is not a cryer, but he cried for her, and he is not a lover, yet he slept with her.
The repetition of the question, "What did it get me?" emphasizes the sense of emptiness the singer feels. The song highlights the idea that even though they gave their all to this person, it didn't earn them anything in return. However, they still cherish the memories and moments they shared with the person. The lyrics mention how it got the singer a heart full of memories, and a closet full of pictures they keep going through. These things remind him of the people and experiences that have brought him happiness in the past.
The song closes on the note that the other person also believed in the singer, and they too went out of character to be with them. The song ends on an even more reflective note, signaling that the singer is still awake, thinking about the other person, and wondering what he got out of this failed relationship. Overall, Bobby Bare's song, "What Did It Get Me?" showcases the feelings of disappointment, reflection, and introspection, one feels after a failed relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not a believer but I believed in you
Although I do not easily believe in things, I had faith in you.
I'm not a doer but honey I did for you
Normally, I do not take action, but for your sake, I did.
What did it get me, what did it get me?
What did I get in return for all that I did?
I'm not a cryer but I cried for you
It is not common for me to shed tears, but I did so because of you.
I'm not a lover but I slept with you
While it is not typical of me to engage in love activities, I did so with you.
Well, it got me Lord for a little while
Although it was just for a short time, it made an impact.
A heart full of memories and smiles
I am left with a heart filled with memories and smiles from our time together.
And a closet full of pictures I've been going through
I've been looking through the pictures of us that I've collected over time.
And it got me thinking I had might have been
It made me wonder what might have been different if things had happened differently.
Wishing I could do it over once again
I long to have the opportunity to do everything over again.
But once again I lie awake and think of you.
Even now, I am still preoccupied with thoughts of you.
You're not a believer but you believed in me
Despite not having a lot of faith, you had trust in me.
You're not a dreamer but you dreamed with me
You do not typically engage in imaginative processes, but you did so alongside me.
What did it get me, what did it get me?
What is the outcome of all we've done together?
Well it got me thinking I had might have been
It made me wonder what might have gone differently in the past.
Wishing I could do it over once again
I yearn for the opportunity to go back and replicate our previous interactions.
But once again I lie awake and think of you
I am still lying awake, lost in thoughts of you.
What did it get me, what did it get me?
What is the result of what we had?
What did it get me for you?...
What has our relationship accomplished for you?
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.