During the late 1950s, Crosby was a member of a local Oneonta teen band called The Tones. The band traveled to Philadelphia to audition for Dick Clark's "American Bandstand", but were turned down. Members of the band found Dick Clark's house and were able to get a recommendation to audition at New York City's Baton Records through the company's lead producer Sol Rabinowitz. The band was given a recording contract, but the studio wanted a quintet backed by studio musicians, which left Crosby and another member out of their recordings.
After high school, Crosby joined the National Guard, but his thirst for adventure led him to go AWOL and roam the country busking for a living in areas like New Orleans, Texas, Florida, and New York. He played mostly ukulele until Harriet Ottenheimer, one of the founders of The Quorum, got him settled on a guitar in 1963. He adopted his stage name "Jerry Jeff Walker" in 1966. He spent his early folk music days in Greenwich Village in the mid 1960s. He co-founded a band with Bob Bruno in the late 1960s called Circus Maximus that put out two albums one with the popular west coast hit "Wind", but Bruno's interest in jazz apparently diverged from Walker's interest in folk music. Walker thus resumed his solo career and recorded the seminal album "Mr. Bojangles" with the help of David Bromberg and other influential Atlantic recording artists. He settled in Austin, Texas, in the 1970s associating mainly with the country-rock outlaw scene that included artists such as Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Waylon Jennings, and Townes Van Zandt.
"Mr. Bojangles" (written by Walker) is perhaps his most well-known and most-often covered song. It was about an obscure alcoholic but talented tap-dancing drifter, (not the famous stage and movie dancer Bill Robinson, as usually assumed). Bojangles is thought to have been a folk character who entertained informally in the south of the US and California, and some say he might have been one of the most gifted natural dancers ever. Authentic reports of him exist from the 1920s through about 1965. Artists from Nina Simone to Bob Dylan, Philip Glass to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, have covered the song. Walker has also recorded songs written by others such as "LA Freeway" (Guy Clark), and "Up Against the Wall Red Neck Mother" (Ray Wylie Hubbard).
A string of records for MCA and Elektra followed Jerry Jeff's move to Austin, before he gave up on the mainstream music business and formed his own independent record label. Tried & True Music was founded in 1986, with his wife Susan as President and manager. Susan also founded Goodknight Music as his management company and Tried & True Artists for his bookings. A series of increasingly autobiographical records followed under the Tried & True imprint. Tried & True also sells his autobiography called "Gypsy Songman". In 2004, Jerry Jeff released his first DVD of songs from his past as performed in an intimate setting in Austin, TX.
He interpreted the songs of others like Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Keith Sykes, Paul Siebel, Bob Dylan, Todd Snider and even a rodeo clown named Billy Jim Baker.
His son, Django Walker, is also a musician. In addition to his residence in Austin, Walker had a retreat on Ambergris Caye in Belize where he recorded his "Cowboy Boots and Bathing Suits" album in 1998.
Members of his band varied over the years. The Lost Gonzo Band and the Gonzo Compadres have backed him in the past. Key members of his band included Craig Hillis - guitarist and arranger on Viva Terlingua, John Inmon, Freddy Krc, Gary P. Nunn, Bob Livingston, Bobby Rambo, Mitch Watkins, Steve Samuel, David Bromberg and others.
Backslider
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm down to tellin' you my red-eyed mind
It's not the sun bright path
That called me from my home
It's just that fine Backslider's wine
CHORUS:
My momma sings out in my memorySon, don't take that black eyed shine
Fight for your rights
But, son don't fight for right
And do not drink Backslider's wine
But I took myself for a kind and loving soul
'Til I found my face, face down on the bar room floor
I was crying Jesus what have they done to me
I cannot drink Backslider's wine no more
CHORUS
As the rain ruins my alibi
I'm down to tellin' you my red-eyed mind
It's not the sun bright path
That called me from my home
It's just that fine Backslider's wine
The song "Backsliders Wine" by Jerry Jeff Walker is a reflective and introspective piece about the singer's struggle with addiction and coming to terms with the consequences of his actions. The lyrics express the singer's realization that it wasn't the allure of adventure that led him away from home, but rather the temptation of drinking "Backslider's wine." The rain serves as a metaphor for the singer's cleansing and renewal, as he finally confronts his addiction and admits it to himself and those around him.
The singer's "red-eyed mind" reveals the toll that his addiction has taken on him, and his mom's voice echoes in his memory, warning him against the dangers of drinking "black eyed shine." Despite his initial protests that he is "kind and loving soul," the singer comes face to face with the reality of his addiction and hits rock bottom. He acknowledges that he can no longer drink "Backslider's wine" and must work to overcome his addiction.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by the legendary Guy Clark in the early 1970s, but was made famous by Jerry Jeff Walker. The song was a hit for Walker and is often considered one of his signature tunes. Another interesting fact is that the song's lyrics have been covered by many other artists, including Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. The song has been praised for its emotional honesty and its portrayal of the struggles and consequences of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
As the rain ruins my alibi
The rainy weather forced me to tell the truth about my drunken state.
I'm down to tellin' you my red-eyed mind
I am confessing my thoughts that have been clouded by my drinking.
It's not the sun bright path
My desire to drink was not influenced by positive things in life.
That called me from my home
I wasn't lured away by good things but rather the temptation of alcohol.
It's just that fine Backslider's wine
It was the irresistible taste of Backslider's wine that made me drink.
My momma sings out in my memory
My mother's words of caution about drinking come to mind.
Son, don't take that black eyed shine
Mother warned me that drinking would lead me to trouble.
Fight for your rights
Mother encouraged me to stand up for what I believe in.
But, son don't fight for right
However, she advised me not to fight when it comes to drinking.
And do not drink Backslider's wine
Above all, she warned me to stay away from the dangerous Backslider's wine.
But I took myself for a kind and loving soul
Despite my mother's warning, I thought I was a good person who could handle drinking.
'Til I found my face, face down on the bar room floor
However, I soon realized the dire consequences of drinking as I passed out in a bar.
I was crying Jesus what have they done to me
I was in distress and regret as the effects of Backslider's wine took over me.
I cannot drink Backslider's wine no more
The experience was a lesson learnt, and I pledged never to drink Backslider's wine again.
CHORUS
Reiterating the warning and advice from my mother, the chorus serves as a reminder of the dangers of drinking and the significance of listening to good advice.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: M. MURPHEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind