Bobby Long (September 18, 1985) is a British singer-songwriter whose largel… Read Full Bio ↴Bobby Long (September 18, 1985) is a British singer-songwriter whose largely acoustic body of work has its roots in folk. Born Robert Thomas Long in Wigan, near Manchester, he moved at age 4 to Calne in Wiltshire, where he grew up, though he still holds deep roots in Wigan. He currently resides in New York, NY.
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.

The Old Shamed Face
Bobby Long Lyrics

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Ooh
The old shamed face he walks a jamboree
Behind the prison is the dove
While the moon decides your grace you're in love
Just for a spell that hand in hand like does
Laughing like the birds beneath the pier

Beyond the dark that stings your mouth you've still got fear

You think it doesn't matter
Nobody told you twice
So rest your mind in your darkest thoughts you'll feel alright

It won't be long
It won't be long
It won't be long

Until she's laughing off the woes of your wrongs
There's endless hands in all Miss Mercy's pies
You can see the daytime stripped away
The lovers march through nuts and bolts to fix your day

The factory blows a scent down Piggy Hill
Beyond the old time Ferris wheel
The trouble swap their thoughts for gold so you can't feel
You think it doesn't matter
Nobody told you twice
So rest your mind in your darkest thoughts you'll feel alright

It won't be long
It won't be long
It won't be long
It won't be long
It won't be long
It won't be long

Until she's laughing off the woes of your wrongs
Until she's laughing off the woes of your wrongs

Overall Meaning

Bobby Long’s The Old Shamed Face is a song about the pains of life and finding solace in love. The “old shamed face” refers to a person who is feeling ashamed and guilty, walking among people celebrating life (“jamboree”) but feeling alone and out of place. Behind the prison, there is a dove - this could be a metaphor for hope, that there is a way out of the imprisonment of shame and feeling unworthy. The moon decides one’s “grace” or fate, and in this case, the old shamed face has found love for a short period of time, feeling the joy of holding hands and laughing like the birds beneath the pier.

However, there is still pain and fear beyond the darkness that the old shamed face feels on their lips, but they try to convince themselves that it doesn’t matter. They attempt to rest their mind in the darkest thoughts, hoping to find some form of justification or acceptance of their situation. The chorus repeats that it won’t be long until the lover is laughing off the pain and woes of the old shamed face’s wrongs. The verses continue to describe the scene, with references to “Miss Mercy’s pies” and the factory on Piggy Hill. The trouble swap their thoughts for gold, making it so that the old shamed face cannot feel the pain and injustice anymore. But still, the old shamed face holds onto hope that it won’t be long until their lover can make everything better.

Overall, the song is a poetic reflection on the complex emotions of shame, guilt, pain, and love – how they intertwine and affect one another. It paints a vivid picture of a world that is both harsh and beautiful, where people are trying to find their way through life and find happiness in whatever way they can.

Line by Line Meaning

Ooh
An exclamation conveying interest or approval

The old shamed face he walks a jamboree
A person with a guilty conscience walks amongst happy people gathered for a celebration

Behind the prison is the dove
There is hope and freedom even in the midst of confinement

While the moon decides your grace you're in love
Love can be influenced by timing and external factors beyond one's control

Just for a spell that hand in hand like does
For a brief moment, two people are connected in a way reminiscent of the behavior of deer

Laughing like the birds beneath the pier
Two people are joyfully laughing together in a hidden or secluded location

Beyond the dark that stings your mouth you've still got fear
Despite experiencing pain or difficulty, fear still lingers within

You think it doesn't matter
It is believed that certain things are insignificant

Nobody told you twice
There was no previous warning or advice given

So rest your mind in your darkest thoughts you'll feel alright
Finding comfort in negative or self-destructive thoughts may provide temporary relief

It won't be long
The current situation or feeling is expected to change soon

Until she's laughing off the woes of your wrongs
The person being referenced will eventually forgive or forget the wrongdoings of the artist

There's endless hands in all Miss Mercy's pies
There are numerous forces at play in any particular situation

You can see the daytime stripped away
The brightness and optimism of the day has faded, revealing a darker reality

The lovers march through nuts and bolts to fix your day
The singer's problems are being worked on by a determined couple who will stop at nothing to help

The factory blows a scent down Piggy Hill
A factory's fragrance drifts across a nearby hill, possibly carrying with it memories or emotions

Beyond the old time Ferris wheel
An object from the past serves as a marker for a larger world beyond it

The trouble swap their thoughts for gold so you can't feel
People engage in corrupt or selfish behavior in order to obtain wealth at the expense of others' emotions

Until she's laughing off the woes of your wrongs
The person being referenced will eventually forgive or forget the wrongdoings of the singer

It won't be long
The current situation or feeling is expected to change soon