Long recorded the 10-song collection Dirty Pond Songs in his London bedroom, traffic noises and all. “Left to Lie” from Dirty Pond Songs, became an iTunes favorite, topping the site’s “Unsigned” chart and reaching #8 on its Folk Music chart. “The Bounty of Mary Jane” from Dirty Pond Songs and a live version of his “Being a Mockingbird”, recorded at Arlene’s Grocery in New York City, were also released via iTunes. “The Dangerous Summer” tour continued until the end of 2009, logging some 80 performances in all.
Long embarked upon the “Left to Lie” tour of Europe in early 2010 and began to record his first studio CD with producer Grammy winner Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios in London. He also released a collection of live performances from the Dangerous Summer 2009 tour. "My Darling Belle" from that collection went to #2 on iTunes' Singer-Songwriter chart.
On April 23, 2010, Long officially signed on to the roster at ATO Records, the label co-founded by musician Dave Matthews, which is home to such artists as Radiohead, David Gray, Ben Kweller, Liz Phair, and more. They released his debut album, "A Winter Tale", on February 1, 2011. During 2010, he toured with Matt Pond PA during which time he met the Kalob Griffin Band, also known as KGB, who would become his backing band for subsequent U.S. dates that year, including the Mile High Festival in Denver, the xPoNential Music Festival in Philadelphia and the Troubadour in Los Angeles. He did a solo tour of Europe in the fall, followed by North American dates in support of Michael Franti. He ended the year with a fund-raising event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in Manhattan where he debuted his new touring band.
Long spent most of 2011 promoting the album "A Winter Tale," which began with a tour in North America. He also made an appearance on The Tonight Show on February 3, 2011 and on The Early Show on August 8, 2011. During the summer, as part of the legendary Bonnaroo Music Festival, he played on the Cafe Stage. The Dave Matthews Band Caravan included him in the line-up in Atlantic City, NJ and in Chicago, IL. He played on the BMI stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival in September. Long made "another live" recorded EP called "The Backing Singer" in July 2011, with the producer, Jesse Lauter. In October 2011, he kicked off "The Losing My Brotherhood Tour" with shows in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Long started 2012 by recording his sophomore album, produced by Ted Hutt, and appeared on the Cayamo Cruise in February. On February 23, he announced online that he would be doing a weekly "song of the week," (for an undisclosed period of time), that he records at home. He spent most of April supporting the acoustic guitar duo, Rodrigo y Gabriela, on tour, but ended the month opening a show for Iron & Wine. In between supporting Steve Winwood on tour in May, Long released his first book of poetry, "Losing My Brotherhood." He stated that a "discipline aspect allowed me to separate the poems from my music.” July consisted of Long opening shows for The Mother Hips in California as well as a performance and poetry reading at Barnes & Noble in L.A. for his book. He followed with shows in the western U.S. and then returned to opening for Steve Winwood on tour in the fall. After Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast of the United States in October of 2012, Long donated his 1965 Epiphone Cabellero guitar to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief fund. For the victims, he later participated in the benefit "A Love Letter to New York" that also included Joan Osborne, Matisyahu, and others.
I'm Not Going Out Tonight
Bobby Long Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the darkened corner of a parking lot,
Before men walked upon the moon
When you played the swinging doors of a lonely saloon
She waits for me there
There is a place where she still goes,
In the wintery night where her story flows,
And the jokes we told were still considered funny,
She waits for me there,
In the cold hours of the morning with the wind in her hair
I'm not going out tonight
Until the songs we know are all played inside,
And the old cars empty rust
And the CD players start to gather dust
Somewhere only she knows
In the cheap thrills of the morning
With the cold spill of my woes
There is a place where we are together
Where the mountain thyme grows around the heather,
Before the drive-thru cinema died
And a truthful word replaced with one big lie
She waits for me there
There is a place where I last saw her,
With a hushed out tone and a borrowed fur,
Just as the maps were changed
I took a wrong turn looking for her golden plain,
She waits for me there
In the cold hours of the morning with the wind in her hair
There is a place, and it's not to be seen
Where the air is young and the water's clean,
Where the juggernaut cut the sailor's scar
But on the moons above riding a shooting star,
She waits for me there
The lyrics of Bobby Long’s song “I’m Not Going Out Tonight” speak about a place where the singer reminisces about his past with a woman. The first verse takes us back to a time before the moon landing and before modern technology, where the woman would wait for him in the corner of a parking lot. The second verse talks about a wintery night where the woman’s story would flow, and the jokes they told were still funny. However, both verses share a common thread of the woman waiting for him “in the cold hours of the morning with the wind in her hair”.
In the chorus, Long explains that he’s not going out until the songs he knows are played inside, and the old cars are emptied of rust. He highlights that somewhere only she knows, there is a place where he can be with her in the cheap thrills of the morning with the cold spill of his woes. The third verse hints at a place where they could be together, where the mountain thyme grows, and the drive-thru cinema has not yet died. However, he took a wrong turn looking for her “golden plain”, and as such, she waits for him there “in the cold hours of the morning with the wind in her hair”. The final verse speaks of a place unseen where the air is young and the water’s clean, and where she waits for him on the moons above riding a shooting star.
The beauty of the lyrics of “I’m Not Going Out Tonight” lies in the vivid imagery that Long is able to conjure through the use of language. He creates a portrait of an ethereal place where the woman he loves is waiting for him to join her. The lyrics also speak to the idea of nostalgia and treasuring memories, as the singer yearns to return to a time before the world became corrupted.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a place where she smiles a lot,
She has a secret spot in a parking lot where she's happy.
In the darkened corner of a parking lot,
She's hidden away in the shadows of the lot.
Before men walked upon the moon
This place is old, from a time before the moon landing.
When you played the swinging doors of a lonely saloon
The place is reminiscent of an old-western saloon.
She waits for me there
The subject of the song is meeting someone in this secret place.
There is a place where she still goes,
The woman still returns to this secret place.
In the wintery night where her story flows,
She goes there on cold, wintry nights when she feels more introspective.
Before we all sold our souls for money
The place is from a time before materialistic values dominated our society.
And the jokes we told were still considered funny,
The place is from a time when humor was different than it is today.
In the cold hours of the morning with the wind in her hair
She goes there early in the morning, when it's cold and windy.
I'm not going out tonight
The subject of the song has decided to stay in for the night.
Until the songs we know are all played inside,
He will stay in until all the familiar songs have been played.
And the old cars empty rust
He's noticing how old things are starting to decay and fall apart.
And the CD players start to gather dust
He is referencing old technology that is no longer used much.
Somewhere only she knows
The place they're meeting is secret and only known by the woman.
In the cheap thrills of the morning
He's talking about early morning activities that don't cost a lot, like just talking.
With the cold spill of my woes
He's feeling down or melancholy, despite their meeting place.
There is a place where we are together
The place bring them together, and is a special spot.
Where the mountain thyme grows around the heather,
This place is surrounded by the natural beauty of a heather and thyme-covered mountain.
Before the drive-thru cinema died
This place is from a time when drive-thru cinemas were still popular.
And a truthful word replaced with one big lie
This place is from a time when truth was valued more than deception.
There is a place where I last saw her,
The singer is remembering the last time he was there with his love interest.
With a hushed out tone and a borrowed fur,
He is alone and whispering, in a borrowed coat.
Just as the maps were changed
Something recently changed in his life, altering their plans or routine.
I took a wrong turn looking for her golden plain,
He's feeling lost or directionless in his search for her.
Where the air is young and the water's clean,
This place is fresh and new, where the air is pure and the water is clean.
Where the juggernaut cut the sailor's scar
The place has a history of struggle, where the powerful have hurt the weak.
But on the moons above riding a shooting star,
Despite its flawed history, the place is still magical and otherworldly.
She waits for me there
The song ends like it begins, reiterating their rendezvous at this special spot.
Writer(s): LONG ROBERT THOMAS
Contributed by Callie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daisygrrl Mel
I love this so much!!! One of my fav songs on "ode to thinking" and the video works so well.
KrissyJill7
Makes me love this song even more...how is that possible?!
Vera Pospisil
Love it! ❤ Totally successful! 👍
Graziella Mayra Albuquerque
I love music!!
Cayden Elliot
Cold Hearted Lover is my favourite