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.
When The One You Love
Bobby Bare Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I don't fit in with all that's goin' on
Your love's an invitation but I can't go along
Cause when I want to love a lady I go home
I go home to love a lady she's waiting up for me a lady who has spent the night alone
No other man has touched her she saves her love for me
When I want to love a lady I go home
So I won't accept your offer although temptation's strong
When I want to love a lady I go home
I go home to love a lady
Bobby Bare's song, "When The One You Love," reveals the struggle of a man who is in a situation where he is being offered love and temptation from outside sources, but his heart belongs only to one lady. He finds himself at a party surrounded by friendly people, but he feels out of place because he knows that his love belongs to only one woman. Although he is being offered love and companionship, he cannot accept it because he knows he has someone waiting for him at home.
The lyrics also reveal that his lady saves all her love for him and he, in turn, values that love and is devoted to her. Though he is tempted to live just for tonight and give in to temptation, he knows that it would be wrong because his heart and his home belong to only one lady. The song shows that true love is not just about physical desires and fleeting moments of passion but about devotion, loyalty, and cherishing the love of the one you hold most dear.
Overall, the song speaks about the importance of staying loyal and true to your loved ones, despite being tempted by other sources. It is a reminder that true love is not just physical attraction but a deeper connection that must be cherished and protected at all times.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to leave your party and these friendly people here
I really don't want to go, but I just don't feel like I belong here with everyone else.
But I don't fit in with all that's goin' on
It's hard to be myself when I'm around all of these people because I'm different from them.
Your love's an invitation but I can't go along
While I appreciate your invitation, I can't accept it because I already have someone else in my heart.
Cause when I want to love a lady I go home
When I need love and affection, I always turn to my lady at home who is waiting for me.
I go home to love a lady she's waiting up for me a lady who has spent the night alone
My lady always waits up for me, even when I'm out late, and I appreciate her patience.
No other man has touched her she saves her love for me
Our relationship is based on trust and loyalty, and I know that she only has eyes for me.
It would be so easy to live just for tonight yet I know to love you would be wrong
While it might be tempting to give in to my desires, I know it would be wrong to cheat on my lady.
So I won't accept your offer although temptation's strong
Despite how much I may be tempted, I won't betray the trust and love my lady has for me.
When I want to love a lady I go home
No matter what happens, I always have a home with my lady, where I know I'll find the love and support I need.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILL RICE, JERRY FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bbq_chimken
when i was a baby, my grandma would sing this to me, specifically the "i love you, you, you, no one else will ever do, always true, true, true cos i love you, you, you" and this song makes me cry
@edlull8616
How I wish we had more melodic heartfelt songs like this these days instead of the screaming yelling trash we hear now. They remind me of the simpler music from the past.
@hanscoetzee7283
I sang this song when I were a little boy, now I am 70, and stil enjoy it. Thank you.
@justintall6736
Skeeter Davis made my childhood full of beautiful imaginations. God bless your soul
@marilynseptember21
I totally googled this song. This was playing in the background at home when I was little. Good to hear the original song here just as I did as a child.
I love the internet.
I'll be going to do some charity work later this month and me and my co workers are teaching our elders how to use technology like phones, tablets and laptop. How to avoid scams when buying stuff and basic security risks online. Love chatting with those much older. I love to hear about their lives.
@Benjamin96690
My mother would sing this to me when I was a small child. I sincerely miss those simple days. Thank you for posting this couple singing this beautiful tune.
@damitalok9275
I do like this song. The voice and the narrationare so touching
@nnennaegbo8993
I love dis muzik from my childhood. And today I am singing it to my true love
@heatherkarman7741
My gram sang this to us when we were little. I sing it to my kids even though I never knew where the song came from. First in my life hearing the real song. Lol
@RoNSantiago-ot7vn
My elder sis fave song of Ms SD. Love it too🎶🎸👍