Bobby Jean
Jennifer Glass Lyrics


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Well, I came by your house the other day
Your mother said you went away
She said there was nothing I could've done
There was nothing nobody could say

Now, me and you, we've known each other
Ever since we were sixteen
I wish I would have known, I wished I could have called you
Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean

Now, you hung with me when all the others
Turned away, turned up their nose
We liked the same music, we liked the same bands
We liked the same clothes

Yeah, we told each other that we were the wildest
The wildest things we'd ever seen
I wished you would have told me, I wish I could have talked to you
Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean

Now, we went walking in the rain
Talking about the pain that from the world we hid
Now, there ain't nobody, nowhere, nohow
Ever gonna understand me the way you did

Well, maybe you'll be out there on that road somewhere
In some bus or train, traveling alone
In some motel room, there'll be a radio playing
And you'll hear me sing this song

If you do, you'll know I'm thinking of you
And all the miles in between




I'm just calling one last time not to change your mind
Just to say I miss you, baby, good luck, goodbye, Bobby Jean

Overall Meaning

The song "Bobby Jean" by Jennifer Glass is a beautifully written piece that speaks of loss and regret. The lyrics, "Well, I came by your house the other day, your mother said you went away, she said there was nothing I could've done, there was nothing nobody could say," are filled with sorrow and helplessness. The singer laments the fact that they failed to say goodbye to their friend, Bobby Jean, who has passed away or left without warning. The lines, "I wish I would have known, I wished I could have called you just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean," reveal their deep-seated regret at not being there for their friend when they were needed the most.


As the song progresses, the singer reminisces about the good times they shared with Bobby Jean. The lines, "We liked the same music, we liked the same bands, we liked the same clothes," indicate that they shared a deep bond with their friend. However, the singer is unable to come to terms with the fact that they will never see Bobby Jean again. This is evident in the lines, "I wished you would have told me, I wish I could have talked to you just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean."


The song ends with a message of hope, as the singer imagines that Bobby Jean might be out there on the road somewhere, listening to a radio that is playing this very song. They send their love and good wishes to their friend, "If you do, you'll know I'm thinking of you, and all the miles in between, I'm just calling one last time, not to change your mind, just to say I miss you, baby, good luck, goodbye, Bobby Jean." In essence, "Bobby Jean" is a song about the importance of cherishing the people we love while they're still with us, and the devastation that comes with losing them.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, I came by your house the other day
I visited your house a few days ago


Your mother said you went away
Your mother told me that you have left


She said there was nothing I could've done
She told me that I couldn't have done anything to stop you


There was nothing nobody could say
No one could have said or done anything to change your decision


Now, me and you, we've known each other
We have been friends for a long time


Ever since we were sixteen
We have known each other since we were teenagers


I wish I would have known, I wished I could have called you
I regret not knowing earlier and not being able to call you to say goodbye


Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean
Just to bid you farewell, Bobby Jean


Now, you hung with me when all the others
You stood by me when everyone else turned their backs on me


Turned away, turned up their nose
They shunned me, they didn't want to associate with me


We liked the same music, we liked the same bands
We had similar taste in music and liked the same bands


We liked the same clothes
We also liked to dress the same way


Yeah, we told each other that we were the wildest
We boasted about being the craziest ones out there


The wildest things we'd ever seen
We had seen and experienced some crazy things together


I wished you would have told me, I wish I could have talked to you
I wished you had confided in me and that we had a chance to talk before you left


Now, we went walking in the rain
We took a walk in the rain together


Talking about the pain that from the world we hid
We talked about how we both hid our pain from others


Now, there ain't nobody, nowhere, nohow
There's no one who could understand me like you did


Ever gonna understand me the way you did
No one is ever going to understand me the way you did


Well, maybe you'll be out there on that road somewhere
Perhaps you're out there somewhere traveling


In some bus or train, traveling alone
You might be on a bus or train, traveling by yourself


In some motel room, there'll be a radio playing
And maybe in some motel room, you'll hear a radio playing


And you'll hear me sing this song
And you'll hear me singing this song


If you do, you'll know I'm thinking of you
If you do hear me, you'll know that I'm thinking of you


And all the miles in between
No matter how far apart we are


I'm just calling one last time not to change your mind
I'm calling to say goodbye, not to try and talk you into coming back


Just to say I miss you, baby, good luck, goodbye, Bobby Jean
I just want to express how much I miss you, wish you good luck, and say goodbye, Bobby Jean




Contributed by Joseph J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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