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.
Higher Ground
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
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But in the light of day I see it's much more than a dream
Life is like a river that carries you on down
It's time we make like we was making tracks for higher ground
I'm always taking chances and got me by on luck
One a few and lost a few, oh had to suck it up
But I see where it's leading me, I've got to turn around
For higher ground, (higher ground), higher ground, (higher ground)
You ain't going nowhere when you're always falling down
So get off on a good foot and stop stumbling around
Man I'm off and running making tracks for higher ground
Yeah, I had a friend who said he'd love to drink and run around
Wasn't anyway old mercy'd put that bottle down
Well I just heard the other day they laid him in the ground
One way or the other brother we're bound for higher ground
For higher ground, (higher ground), higher ground, (higher ground)
You ain't going nowhere when you're always falling down
You got to pick your head up, keep your mind and body sound
Man I'm off and running making tracks for higher ground
The moral of my story is the fool he never think
And all around you life says you must change every day
Throw off those old shackles and get up and dance around
Today's the day we're roping, making tracks for higher ground
For higher ground, (higher ground), higher ground, (higher ground)
You ain't going nowhere when you're always falling down
Get off on the good foot and stop stumbling around
Man we're off and running making tracks for higher ground
For higher ground, (higher ground), higher ground, (higher ground)
You ain't going nowhere when you're always falling down
Get up on the good foot and stop stumbling around
Man we're off and running making tracks for higher ground
Up and running babe for higher ground, for higher ground baby
Up and running up for higher ground, don't let me down boys
We're all running up to higher ground
The lyrics of "Higher Ground" by Jerry Jeff Walker are about the idea of moving on from one's mistakes and shortcomings and striving towards success and improvement. The song opens with a metaphor about the constant flow of life being like a river that carries one towards new experiences, opportunities, and challenges. The dream-like drowning in the stream also symbolizes the feeling of being overwhelmed and stuck in one's current situation.
The lyrics then shift to the theme of taking chances in life and dealing with the ups and downs that come with it. The singer acknowledges that he has had both good luck and bad luck in the past, but now he realizes the need to make a change for the better. The repeated refrain of "higher ground" emphasizes the goal of moving towards success and betterment.
The song also references a friend who struggled with alcoholism and the ultimate fate of his passing. This serves as a reminder to the listener that life is fragile and unpredictable, and that seeking higher ground is crucial for a meaningful and fulfilling existence.
"Higher Ground" is a song that encourages listeners to take responsibility for their lives and make necessary changes in order to succeed. The idea of reaching for higher ground can be applied to any aspect of one's life, whether it be personal, professional, or spiritual growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night I was dreaming I laying drowning in a stream
I had a dream that I was drowning in a stream
But in the light of day I see it's much more than a dream
In reality, life has its own struggles that feel like drowning
Life is like a river that carries you on down
Life is constantly moving, and we are being carried along without much control
It's time we make like we was making tracks for higher ground
We need to take action and move towards a better future
I'm always taking chances and got me by on luck
I often take risks and rely on luck to get by
One a few and lost a few, oh had to suck it up
I have won some and lost some, and had to deal with the consequences
But I see where it's leading me, I've got to turn around
I realize that my past actions have led me to an undesirable place, and I need to change direction
Today's the day I thought of making tracks for higher ground
Today is the day that I am motivated to start moving towards a better future
For higher ground, (higher ground), higher ground, (higher ground)
We need to aim for a better future, higher than where we currently stand
You ain't going nowhere when you're always falling down
If we keep making the same mistakes, we won't make any progress
So get off on a good foot and stop stumbling around
We need to start making good decisions and stop making mistakes
Man I'm off and running making tracks for higher ground
I am motivated to take action and move towards a better future
Yeah, I had a friend who said he'd love to drink and run around
I had a friend who had a problem with alcohol and partying
Wasn't anyway old mercy'd put that bottle down
Unfortunately, he couldn't put down the bottle despite the potential consequences
Well I just heard the other day they laid him in the ground
I recently found out that my friend has passed away
One way or the other brother we're bound for higher ground
We all have a destiny, and we need to aim for a better future
You got to pick your head up, keep your mind and body sound
We need to stay strong physically and mentally, and maintain a positive attitude
The moral of my story is the fool he never think
The lesson I've learned is that foolish people don't think ahead
And all around you life says you must change every day
Life is constantly changing and we need to adapt to new circumstances
Throw off those old shackles and get up and dance around
We need to let go of our past mistakes and move forward with confidence
Today's the day we're roping, making tracks for higher ground
Today is the day we are taking action and moving forward
Up and running babe for higher ground, for higher ground baby
We are moving quickly towards a better future
Don't let me down boys
I am counting on my friends to support me and not disappoint me
We're all running up to higher ground
We are all working together to move towards a better future
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DONALD EWING II, BILLY JOE WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind