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.
Medley
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I think about old Saturday's child
And all the happy times, we were running wild
I was searching for the dolphins in the sea
And sometimes I wonder, do you ever think of me
And I look back, I will remember all the good times
All the warm days in the sunshine
Chorus:
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through' the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off the North East wind
Sailing on summer breeze
And skipping the ocean like a stone
Everybody's talkin' at me
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
Only hear the echoes of my mind
People stop and staring
I don't really see their faces, oh no, only see the shadows in their eyes
CHORUS
Sometimes I think about Saturday's child
And all the happy times, we were running wild
In Jerry Jeff Walker's song "Fred Neil Medley," the lyrics convey a sense of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time. The first verse mentions "Saturday's child," which is a reference to a poem by Countess Wellesley that describes how a person's day of birth can influence their personality. The singer reminisces about carefree days spent with friends, specifically searching for dolphins in the sea. They wonder if their friends still think of them.
The chorus shifts to a more positive tone, as the singer declares their intention to go where the sun shines even during the rain, where the weather suits their clothes. They want to sail on a summer breeze and skip over the ocean like a stone. This can be interpreted as a desire for adventure and freedom, to escape the drudgery of everyday life.
The second verse brings a sense of isolation, as the singer mentions how they only hear the echoes of their own mind and see shadows in people's eyes. This could be interpreted as feeling disconnected from society and searching for deeper meaning in life. The song then returns to the nostalgic theme of Saturday's child and the happy memories shared with friends, bringing the song's themes full-circle.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I think about old Saturday's child
Jerry Jeff reflects on his carefree youth and feels nostalgic about the fun times he had.
And all the happy times, we were running wild
He recalls the good old days when he and his friends had no cares or responsibilities and could do whatever they wanted.
I was searching for the dolphins in the sea
Jerry Jeff reminisces about one of the fun things he did as a young man - looking for dolphins in the ocean.
And sometimes I wonder, do you ever think of me
He ponders over whether his old friends from those days also think fondly of him and those happy times.
And I look back, I will remember all the good times
Jerry Jeff reflects on his past with a sense of fondness, thinking about all the happy and carefree moments he had.
All the warm days in the sunshine
He fondly recalls the sunny days when he and his friends would spend time outdoors enjoying the good weather.
Just a little bit of rain
Even when it rained, they remained undeterred and didn't let it spoil their fun.
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Jerry Jeff wants to move on from nostalgia and leave his troubles behind, seeking a new and bright future.
Through' the pouring rain
He wants to remain positive even when life gets tough and things don't go as planned.
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Jerry Jeff wants to go where he'll feel comfortable, where his surroundings match his personality and mood.
Backing off the North East wind
He wants to be able to control his own journey and not be at the mercy of external factors (like the wind).
Sailing on summer breeze
Jerry Jeff wants to feel the warmth and freedom of summertime and let it guide him forward.
And skipping the ocean like a stone
He wants to move forward with a sense of buoyancy and ease, letting his worries slip away like a stone on the water.
Everybody's talkin' at me
Jerry Jeff feels like everyone has something to say or wants something from him, but he's not interested in listening to them.
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
He's not interested in the words or opinions of others, preferring to focus on his own thoughts and feelings.
Only hear the echoes of my mind
Jerry Jeff is introspective and reflective, listening to the reverberations of his own thoughts and emotions.
People stop and staring
He's aware that people are looking at him but he doesn't care or feel the need to engage with them.
I don't really see their faces, oh no, only see the shadows in their eyes
Jerry Jeff is so absorbed in his own world that he doesn't even notice the faces of those around him; instead, he sees only their darker, more hidden emotions and thoughts.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FRED NEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BOWMANTUNES
What a great tribute to Freddie. And in drop D tuning, just like Fred.
Bill Ferguson
I would want Fred's music with me on a deserted island.
Mike Decker
Love ole Jerry Jeff !!!