Guitar Man
Bread Lyrics


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Who draws the crowd and plays so loud
Baby it's the guitar man
Who's gonna steal the show
You know, baby, it's the guitar man

He can make you love
He can make you cry
He will bring you down
Then he'll get you high
Somethin' keeps him goin'
Miles and miles a day
To find another place to play

Night after night who treats you right
Baby, it's the guitar man
Who's on the radio
You go listen to the guitar man

Then he comes to town
And you see his face
And you think you might
Like to take his place
Somethin' keeps him driftin'
Miles and miles away
Searchin' for the songs to play

Then you listen to the music
And you like to sing along
You want to get the meaning
Out of each and every song
Then you find yourself a message
And some words to call your own
And take them home

He can make you love
He can get you high
He will bring you down
Then he'll make you cry
Somethin' keeps him movin'
But no one seems to know
What it is that makes him go

Then the lights begin to flicker
And the sound is getting dim
The voice begins to falter
And the crowds are getting thin
But he never seems to notice
He's just got to find
Another place to play

Fade away
Got to play




Fade away
Got to play

Overall Meaning

The song "Guitar Man" by Bread is an ode to the power of music and the musicians who play it. The lyrics describe the unique qualities of a guitar player who draws crowds, steals the show and makes people feel a range of emotions. The guitar man is portrayed as a wanderer who travels long distances to find new audiences, and he always seems to be on the move, in search of new places to play.


The song describes the effect that the guitar man's music has on people, how it can make them feel love, cry, get high, and get low. The lyrics suggest that music is more than just entertainment; it has the power to change people's lives, to inspire them, and to give them a sense of purpose.


Aside from the powerful lyrics, "Guitar Man" has a catchy melody and a memorable chorus that makes it a classic rock song. Interestingly, the lead singer and songwriter of Bread, David Gates, wasn't originally confident that they should release "Guitar Man" when they were recording their fifth album, but it ended up being one of their biggest hits.


Line by Line Meaning

Who draws the crowd and plays so loud
The guitar man is the one who attracts the biggest audience and has the loudest performance.


Baby it's the guitar man
The one who does this is none other than the guitar man.


Who's gonna steal the show
The guitar man is the one who will outperform everyone else and take the attention completely.


You know, baby, it's the guitar man
It's a well-known fact that the guitar man is the one who steals the show.


He can make you love
The guitar man has the ability to make you feel loved and appreciated.


He can make you cry
The guitar man can also bring you to tears with his emotional performances.


He will bring you down
At times, the guitar man will bring you to a low point and make you feel sorrowful.


Then he'll get you high
But just as quickly as he can bring you down, the guitar man can also lift you up and make you feel happy and elated.


Somethin' keeps him goin'
There is an inner drive within the guitar man that motivates him to keep performing.


Miles and miles a day
He travels great distances every day to find new places to play his music.


To find another place to play
His desire to perform drives him to search for new venues all the time.


Night after night who treats you right
Out of all the performers, night after night, the guitar man will treat you the best and give you an unforgettable performance.


Who's on the radio
The guitar man's music is often played on the radio, making him even more popular.


You go listen to the guitar man
It's recommended that you listen to the guitar man's music as it's truly special.


Then he comes to town
When he finally arrives, you get to see the guitar man up close.


And you think you might
You get the impression that you could be like him and perform like he does.


Like to take his place
You might even dream of taking the guitar man's place as the best performer.


Somethin' keeps him driftin'
There's a sense of restlessness within the guitar man that keeps him moving and searching for something more.


Miles and miles away
He travels great distances searching for inspiration and new songs to play.


Searchin' for the songs to play
His search for new music is a never-ending journey that keeps him motivated and inspired.


Then you listen to the music
Once you're hooked on the guitar man's music, you can't get enough.


And you like to sing along
You find yourself singing along with his songs and joining in the performance.


You want to get the meaning
The lyrics of the guitar man's songs have deeper meanings that you want to understand.


Out of each and every song
You want to uncover the message behind every song he performs.


Then you find yourself a message
After much listening, you finally discover the hidden messages within his music.


And some words to call your own
You even take these messages and make them your own.


And take them home
You carry these messages with you and they become a part of your life.


But no one seems to know
There's a mystery surrounding what truly motivates the guitar man.


What it is that makes him go
No one can quite figure out what drives the guitar man to keep performing night after night.


Then the lights begin to flicker
The performance comes to an end as the lights slowly turn off.


And the sound is getting dim
The volume of the guitar man's music begins to decrease.


The voice begins to falter
His voice becomes weaker and less powerful as the performance winds down.


And the crowds are getting thin
The audience slowly starts to leave as the performance comes to an end.


But he never seems to notice
Despite this, the guitar man continues to play as if the crowd is still there.


He's just got to find
The guitar man's drive to perform takes precedence over everything else.


Another place to play
He's already thinking about his next venue and where he can perform next.


Fade away
The song slowly comes to an end.


Got to play
Despite everything, the guitar man can't stop playing music and must continue to perform.


Fade away
The music becomes quieter and quieter until it finally fades away completely.


Got to play
The guitar man's incredible drive to play and perform music is unwavering and never fades away.




Lyrics © DAVID GATES D/B/A KIPAHULU MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Gates

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@eugenelangston4601

Born in 56, I grew up in the 60s and 70s. I think I was privileged to live during this magical music time.

@jefftate01

Same here. Closest thing to a time machine I have.

@peterpfotzer2544

I loved this waw waw pedal

@paulwalker1443

Yep '59 birth for me. Early teen when they hit. All of us remember and like the songs at that age. I would have never admitted that I liked Bread and The Carpenters to my friends. They would have laughed outloud. But to this day I appreciate their sound and their songs. A couple of others that stand out in my mind are "Everything I Own" and "Make It With You", and "It Don't Matter To Me" was no slouch either.

@kathywestdoninger6109

Same here. Love Bread.

@Ron71997

You are so right, I don't know what it is about 70"s slow songs - gets me everytime.

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@andyblair8364

This was one of my Dad's favorite bands and I grew up in the 70s listening to Bread. Every time I hear a Bread song nowadays I think about my Dad and remember simpler times. Music really does transport you and brings out the memories. Thanks Dad for turning me on to Bread and the wonderful feelings of nostalgia it brings to me .

@gwynwilliams8720

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@roygomez3225

You are absolutely right,,,these kinds of songs bring those feelings of nostalgia,, I feel the same way, Andy

@cbell5571

awesome!

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