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.
Hands On the Wheel
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At a time when my world, seemed to be swinging,
Reeling out of control
There were some believers,
Deceivers, a few in-betweeners
Who seemed to have no place that they could go
It's right when you're wrong
Living's just something to do,
With no place to hide,
I looked into your eyes,
And I find myself in you
I've looked to the stars,
Busted up some bars
My life nearly went up in smoke
With my hands on the wheel,
Of something so real
Yeah I feel like I'm heading home
Now in the shape of an oak, down by the river,
You see an old man and a boy
They're setting sails, spinning tales,
Probably fishing for whales
With a lady that they both enjoy
It's the same old tune,
It's the man in the moon
It's the way that I feel
Since I found you,
With no place to hide,
I looked into your eyes,
And I find myself in you
I've looked to the stars, busted up some bars
I saw my life as a joke
With my hands on the wheel, of something so real
Yeah I feel like I'm heading home
And I feel like I'm heading home
The lyrics of Jerry Jeff Walker's "Hands On The Wheel" are about finding solace and a sense of home in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. The singer reflects on a time when his world was "swinging, reeling out of control," and how he found comfort in the company of "some believers, deceivers, a few in-betweeners who seemed to have no place they could go." Through the ups and downs of life, the singer has looked to the stars, broken down barriers, and nearly lost everything. But with his hands on the wheel of something real, he finally feels like he is heading home.
The song has a dreamy quality to it, with its lilting melody and melancholic lyrics. It captures the feeling of being adrift in the world and finding a sense of purpose and belonging through relationships with others. The imagery of an old man and a boy setting sail and fishing for whales with a lady they both enjoy adds to the sense of timelessness and continuity that the song evokes.
Overall, "Hands On The Wheel" is a poignant and introspective song that speaks to the universal human desire for connection, meaning, and a sense of place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
At a time when my world seemed to be swinging, reeling out of control
During a time of confusion and chaos in my life, it felt like everything was falling apart.
There were some believers, deceivers, a few in-betweeners who seemed to have no place that they could go
Amidst the confusion, there were people who believed in something, some who deceived, and those who didn't fit into either category, all searching for direction.
It's the same old song, it's right when you're wrong, living's just something to do
Life is full of cliches and contradictions. It can often feel pointless, especially when you're struggling.
With no place to hide, I looked into your eyes, and I find myself in you
Despite feeling lost, looking into someone else's eyes gave me a sense of purpose and belonging.
I've looked to the stars, busted up some bars, my life nearly went up in smoke
I've searched for meaning in all kinds of places, and some of my choices have nearly destroyed me.
With my hands on the wheel, of something so real, yeah I feel like I'm heading home
But now, I've found something that feels true and authentic, and it's leading me towards a sense of home and belonging.
They're setting sails, spinning tales, probably fishing for whales, with a lady that they both enjoy
As I navigate towards something more solid, I see others around me who have found their own version of peace and enjoyment.
It's the same old tune, it's the man in the moon, it's the way that I feel since I found you
Although life may still be full of cliches and contradictions, my emotions have been transformed since finding someone who makes me feel seen and understood.
And I feel like I'm heading home
Ultimately, this newfound sense of belonging and purpose gives me a sense of peace and comfort.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: WILLIAM CALLERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind