He left Auburn University after his second year to pursue a musical career. After three years playing guitar for Roy Orbison, he set out on a solo career in 1964. He soon had a Top Ten hit with his own composition "See the Funny Little Clown."
Other Top 40 hits from the 1960s include:
* "Whenever He Holds You"
* "Little Things"
* "Voodoo Woman"
* "It's Too Late"
* "Blue Autumn"
* "Me Japanese Boy I Love You"
* "Honey"
* "Autumn of My Life"
* "The Straight Life"
"Honey" was a Number One hit in 1968. In the early 1970s he had two more hits, "Watching Scotty Grow," and "Summer (The First Time)." From 1973 to 1975 he hosted the syndicated television variety series The Bobby Goldsboro Show. In the mid-1980's he retired from performing to produce children's entertainment.
I Am A Rock
Bobby Goldsboro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am alone, gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
I am a rock, I am an island
I've built walls, a fortress deep and mighty that none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain
Don't talk of love well I've heard the words before
It's sleeping in my memory
And I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried
I am a rock, I am an island
I have my books and my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor, hiding in my room, safe within my womb
I touch no one and no one touches me
I am a rock, I am an island
The lyrics of Bobby Goldsboro's "I Am A Rock" speak of a person who is very much alone and disconnected from the world around them. It is winter, and as the person looks out of their window to the snowy streets below, they feel completely isolated and shut off from the rest of society. They describe themselves as a rock, an island, completely closed off emotionally and physically from anyone else. They have built walls around themselves, creating a fortress that no one can penetrate, and they insist that they have no need for human connection or friendship because it only causes pain.
Line by Line Meaning
A winter's day, in a deep and dark December
The singer describes the bleakness of their surroundings, creating a sad and lonely atmosphere.
I am alone, gazing from my window to the streets below
The singer is isolated and detached from society, observing the world from a distance.
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
The snowfall represents the stillness and emptiness the singer feels inside.
I am a rock, I am an island
The artist feels completely self-sufficient, emotionally detached and alone.
I've built walls, a fortress deep and mighty that none may penetrate
The artist uses a metaphor to describe the emotional barriers they have erected to keep others out.
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
The singer has experienced hurt and betrayal in the past, leading them to believe that connection with others will only lead to more pain.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain
The singer rejects the idea of joy and affection, associating them with vulnerability and heartache.
Don't talk of love well I've heard the words before
The artist has heard expressions of love but has become jaded and disenchanted with the idea.
It's sleeping in my memory
The past relationships and experiences with love are dormant and not affecting the artist's current emotional state.
And I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
The artist refuses to revisit old emotions, choosing to leave them buried in the past.
If I never loved I never would have cried
The singer acknowledges that love has caused them pain, but also realizes that those experiences have shaped who they are.
I have my books and my poetry to protect me
The artist uses literature as a form of escapism and solace, a way to distance themselves from the real world and their emotions.
I am shielded in my armor, hiding in my room, safe within my womb
The singer feels emotionally impenetrable, safe from the risks and dangers of human connection.
I touch no one and no one touches me
The singer avoids physical touch and any kind of intimacy, further illustrating their isolation and detachment.
I am a rock, I am an island
The repetition of this line emphasizes the singer's firm belief in their self-sufficiency and emotional independence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind