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.
Takin' It As It Comes
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chorus:
I'm takin' it as it comes
And you know that it comes to everyone
I'm just sittin' back here
Gettin' high and drinking beer
And I'm just takin' it as it comes
Well you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't
Makes a man stop and wonder if he will or he won't
But I'm in my prime, enjoying my time
I've been too busy just chasin' life, now I'm livin' mine
Chorus
Eat more possum, God bless John Wayne
Seems like everybody got to be a cowboy these days
You know riding de-range, it's either rank stock or strange
It's all in the luck and the buck and the draw
And how tight you're holding the reins
Chorus x2
The song "Takin' It As It Comes" by Jerry Jeff Walker/Bobby Rambo is a reflection on life and the idea of accepting what comes our way. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm takin' it as it comes" to emphasize this belief that we must learn to accept whatever life throws at us since everyone has to face difficulties at some point. The line "Gettin' high and drinking beer" suggests that the singer is trying to cope with life's challenges by escapism. Perhaps he is overwhelmed by the chaos of the world, so instead of chasing after new experiences, he is choosing to relax and let life come to him.
The verses explore themes of social commentary and self-reflection. The lines "Well, you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't, Makes a man stop and wonder if he will or he won't" calls attention to the societal pressures that can make it difficult to make decisions. The song suggests that it's okay to enjoy the moment and make the most of the present, as this can bring you happiness and satisfaction. The lyrics "I've been too busy just chasin' life, now I'm livin' mine" suggest that the singer has come to the realization that they have been chasing the wrong things in life and now want to live differently.
Overall, "Takin' It As It Comes" advocates for living in the present moment, accepting life's challenges, and enjoying the journey. It's a reminder to take a step back from time to time and appreciate the simple things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Chorus:
The artist is communicating that he is taking life as it comes to him and he is enjoying every bit of it.
I'm takin' it as it comes
The artist is living life without any plan or course but is letting life present itself to him.
And you know that it comes to everyone
The artist is acknowledging that everyone experiences life as it comes.
I'm just sittin' back here
The artist is not actively pursuing anything but is letting life take him along for the ride.
Gettin' high and drinking beer
The artist is enjoying his life in the moment by consuming substances that make him feel good.
And I'm just takin' it as it comes
The artist is reiterating that he is accepting life as it presents itself to him.
Well you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't
The artist is commenting on the complicated nature of life, where decisions could lead to either good or bad outcomes.
Makes a man stop and wonder if he will or he won't
The artist acknowledges that decision-making is often filled with self-doubt and uncertainty.
But I'm in my prime, enjoying my time
The artist is celebrating his current state of life where he is in his best condition and living life to the fullest.
I've been too busy just chasin' life, now I'm livin' mine
The artist admits to spending too much time pursuing a particular type of life, but now he is finally living his best life.
Eat more possum, God bless John Wayne
The artist is mentioning both food and a famous actor suggesting, in a lighthearted tone, the ups and downs of life.
Seems like everybody got to be a cowboy these days
The artist observes that people these days are obsessed about being something or someone.
You know riding de-range, it's either rank stock or strange
The artist notices that life is either easy or difficult; and in some cases, it is outright strange.
It's all in the luck and the buck and the draw
The artist believes that success in life is a combination of luck, hard work, and making the right decisions.
And how tight you're holding the reins
The artist implies that the person in charge needs to be responsible; otherwise, things can spiral out of control.
Chorus x2
The artist repeats the chorus to reinforce his message that he is living his life adventurously without too much concern of what life throws at him.
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