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.
Last Song
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well this might be the last song that I'm ever gonna write
Cause the world seems more confused to me than any time in my life
I know it all sounds crazy but, if it turns out to be true
Than the last song I ever write, will be a song I wrote for you
This might be the last song, I'm ever gonna sing
The way I'm feeling now, it might just turn out to be true
So the long song I ever sing will be the song I wrote for you
Of all the friends and lovers in my life who have come and gone
You're the only one who's stood by me and never ever let me down
So if I have one song to sing, and I have to sing it now
How much I truly love you, would be what my song's about
Well this might be the last song, that I'm ever gonna play
So I want the words I love you to be the last words that I say
Just man who sang about his love, a love so tried and true
That the last song he ever sang,
Was the one he wrote and played for you
Well the last song I ever sing, was one I wrote and played for you
The lyrics to Jerry Jeff Walker's song Last Song are a poignant reflection on the confusion and uncertainty of life, and the importance of love in the face of such ambiguity. The song begins with the suggestion that this may be the last song that the artist ever writes, as he feels that the world is more perplexing now than ever before. However, despite the craziness of the world, the singer seeks solace in the idea that the last song he ever writes will be dedicated to a loved one. The notion that love provides a sense of coherence and meaning in life runs as a constant theme throughout the song.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the loved one in question has been a steadfast presence in the singer's life, someone who has never let him down. Consequently, the song becomes a tribute to this person, expressing the depth of feeling that the artist has for them, and the extent to which they have provided a sense of security and stability in an uncertain world. The last verse of the song takes on a particularly poignant tone, as the singer suggests that the last words he says will be "I love you". It is a touching sentiment, one that suggests that amidst all the chaos and confusion of life, love is the one thing that endures.
Overall, Last Song is a powerful reflection on the nature of existence and the importance of love in helping us navigate the challenges of life. By dedicating his last song to a loved one, the singer suggests that love is the highest form of meaning that we can aspire to, the one thing that can provide a sense of purpose and direction amidst the bewildering complexity of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Well this might be the last song that I'm ever gonna write
I am uncertain if I will write another song since I find the world confusing at this time in my life.
Cause the world seems more confused to me than any time in my life
I am in a state of confusion due to the current state of the world.
I know it all sounds crazy but, if it turns out to be true
I understand that my thoughts may seem irrational, but they may end up being valid.
Than the last song I ever write, will be a song I wrote for you
If this does happen to be my last song, it will be a love song for you.
This might be the last song, I'm ever gonna sing
I may never sing another song again.
I heard you're supposed to sing 'em all like you may never sing again
It is advised to sing every song as if it is your last.
The way I'm feeling now, it might just turn out to be true
Given my current state of mind, it is possible that this could be my last song.
So the long song I ever sing will be the song I wrote for you
If I do end up only having one more song to sing, it will be a love song for you.
Of all the friends and lovers in my life who have come and gone
I have had many people come in and out of my life.
You're the only one who's stood by me and never ever let me down
Out of all of these people, you are the only one who has been unwavering in your support for me.
So if I have one song to sing, and I have to sing it now
If I only have one song left to sing, I want to sing it now.
How much I truly love you, would be what my song's about
This song would be a declaration of my love for you.
Well this might be the last song, that I'm ever gonna play
This could potentially be the last song that I ever perform.
So I want the words I love you to be the last words that I say
If it is, I want the last thing I say to be 'I love you.'
Just man who sang about his love, a love so tried and true
I am a man who writes and sings about a love that is unwavering and genuine.
That the last song he ever sang, Was the one he wrote and played for you
If this is indeed my last song, it will be a love song for you that I wrote and performed myself.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Alejandro Martinez, David Thomas, Ivan Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mr. Goog
R.I.P. Jerry Jeff Walker. Thank you for all the great songs. You will be missed.
Jim Hruby
Jerry Jeff, I've listened to you since I was about 8 years old (and I'm now more than 42 years older, and still counting). I sincerely hope that this is NOT the last song you ever write or sing. Keep writing, playing, and singing, Brother!
pete morabito
If Jerry Jeff could live forever, I'd bet he'd keep writing great, & mostly memorable songs.
B Cole Borrego
He was and is a legend
Tom Devlin
Just a special performance. Heartfelt.
Rodney Maker
Saw Jerry in a small club in Milwaukee maybe a Thursday night not crowded but a fantastic show luv his songs and singing