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 Kind of Bird Is That
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The one with the bright red breast
I know it just can't be the robin
'Cause my love is not back yet
The one I love and wanted to marry
Had to leave before she became my bride
But she said she'd return
And with each other we'd spend our lives
And she said she'd return
Long before the robin returned
And together we'd watch the leaves turn green
She showed me then just how much she loves me
And she and I and the robin can spend the spring
So what kind of bird is that
The one with the bright red breast
I know it just can't be the robin
'Cause my love is not back yet
So who could be playin' tricks on me
By the time that I relax and countin' leaves
That can't be a spring, yeah surely that can't be
'Cause the one I love, she's not with me
Oh, what kind of bird is that
The one with the bright red breast
I know it just can't be the robin
'Cause my love is not back yet
The lyrics to Bobby Bare's song "What Kind of Bird Is That" speak to the people's need to find meaning and hope in even the most unexpected places. The song centers around a man's curiosity about a particular bird he sees, which he initially mistakes for a robin. However, he realizes that it couldn't possibly be a robin because his love, who promised to return to him, has not come back yet. The implication is that the robin's return signals the arrival of spring, and the woman promised to return to him before then.
The man is clearly anxious about seeing the bird because its presence reminds him of the love he has lost, and he is unsure whether or not to trust in her promise to return. However, he also uses the bird as a symbol of hope, imagining that he and his love will someday reunite and spend their lives together watching the leaves turn green. The repetition of the question "What kind of bird is that?" reinforces the man's sense of uncertainty and longing, as he tries to reconcile his desire for love and companionship with the reality of his current situation.
Bobby Bare's "What Kind of Bird Is That" is a poignant and evocative song about love and loss, hope and uncertainty. The song's lyrics are both simple and deeply meaningful, evoking the complicated emotions that arise when we stake our happiness on someone else's promises. The song's melody is gentle and thoughtful, reinforcing the sense of introspection and contemplation that runs throughout the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
What kind of bird is that
The singer is questioning the identity of a certain bird.
The one with the bright red breast
The singer is describing a bird with a distinct physical feature.
I know it just can't be the robin
The singer is ruling out one particular bird species as a possibility.
'Cause my love is not back yet
The artist connects the presence of the bird to the return of a loved one who has not come back.
The one I love and wanted to marry
The artist introduces and describes a romantic interest who has promised to return.
Had to leave before she became my bride
The singer explains why their loved one had to leave.
But she said she'd return
The singer emphasizes the promise made by their loved one to come back.
Before the robin would return
The artist mentions the timing of their loved one's promised return.
And with each other we'd spend our lives
The artist expresses the depth of their commitment to their loved one.
And she said she'd return
The artist reiterates their loved one's promise to come back.
Long before the robin returned
The singer compares the timing of their loved one's return to the return of the robin.
And together we'd watch the leaves turn green
The artist recalls a happy memory with their loved one.
She showed me then just how much she loves me
The singer shares another positive memory of their loved one.
And she and I and the robin can spend the spring
The singer imagines a happy future with their loved one.
So who could be playin' tricks on me
The singer expresses confusion and doubts about their situation.
By the time that I relax and countin' leaves
The artist reveals another piece of information about their surroundings.
That can't be a spring, yeah surely that can't be
The artist questions the accuracy of the season based on their observations.
'Cause the one I love, she's not with me
The singer makes a connection between the absence of their loved one and their current confusion.
Oh, what kind of bird is that
The singer repeats their opening question, expressing continued curiosity about the bird they see.
The one with the bright red breast
The artist offers a further description of the bird they see.
I know it just can't be the robin
The artist repeats their earlier conclusion, rejecting the idea that the bird they see is a robin.
'Cause my love is not back yet
The artist repeats their earlier reasoning, connecting the presence of the bird to the absence of their loved one.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: COCHRAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brenda Fretwell
this one brought a tear to my eye good song Bobby you sang it beautiful..love The Bare!
grammaidaho
Oh the man has so many really great and I mean really really great songs. Some that I forgot about but great people have brought them back just for just us to enjoy again. Thank you.
Frank Smith
This is butiful
Slade Morelis
What kind of bird are you?