Born Cyrus Whitfield Bond in Enville, Oklahoma, he learned ukelele and guitar headed to Oklahoma City as a teen to play dances and radio shows as a member of the Singing Cowboy Trio and later the Bell Boys. Bond’s big break came in 1939 as a member of the Jimmy Wakely Trio when they were brought out to Hollywood to appear in a western called "The Saga of Death Valley, starring Roy Rogers. By 1940 Jimmy Wakely's trio had relocated to California and become regulars on Gene Autry's Melody Ranch radio show, the trio disbanded, but Bond stayed on air for some 16 years until the show was dropped in 1956. Bond also ended up in some 38 films between 1939 and 1947, usually as a bit player, musical interlude or sidekick. In 1947, while his film career was ending, the notoreity remained and he had three top five country hits including "Divorce Me C.O.D.".
His legendary songcraft, healthy baritone voice and pioneering hillbilly-western swing sound is heard on enduring tracks from the 1940's like “I’ll Step Aside” and “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight”. “Cimarron” was covered by Johnny Cash, Bob Wills, Les Paul & Mary Ford and many others. "I'll Step Aside," became hits for everyone from Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra to Johnny Rodriguez, while “Tomorrow Never Knows” was a hit for Glen Campbell and also was covered by Lynn Anderson,Loretta Lynn and Elvis Presley amongst others! Bond was also a gifted guitar player who appeared on records by Rosemary Clooney, Jimmie Davis, Flat & Scruggs, and Marty Robbins. Other well known artists who recorded his songs include Jerry Lee Lewis,Hank Thompson,Arthur Alexander,the Sons of the Pioneers and Louvin Brothers.
Bond's recorded steadily from the 1940's, was a regular on the 1950s country music television series Town Hall Party, had his own radio show for awhile, and despite being dropped by Columbia in 1957, his biggest hits didn't arrive until the 1960's. The latter period chart toppers being 1964's "Ten Little Bottles" and the 1960 rebel rock n roll standard "Hot Rod Lincoln".
Autry revived his Melody Ranch show as a tv program for 5 years in 1965 and Johnny Bond stayed onboard as well, meanwhile The Starday label issued some 14 Johnny Bond titles between 1960 and 1971.
Bond's and his backing group The Red River Valley Boys were also well-known for doing double duty as Tex Ritter’s studio band. Members included Jimmy Wakely (popular vocalist and student of Gene Autry), Noel Boggs (pedal steel giant who played with Bob Wills and Spade Cooley), Wesley Tuttle (guitar player with the likes of Merle Travis and Ernest Tubb) and Paul Sells (accordion, organ and honky tonk piano player extraordinaire).
Sick Sober And Sorry
Johnny Bond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sick, Sober And Sorry (1951)
Oh sick sober and sorry
Broke disgusted and sad
But look at the fun that I had
I met with a gal in a tavern
Oh, what a beautiful dream
And that′s when I went off my beam
Oh sick sober and sorry
Broke disgusted and sad
But look at the fun that I had
The jukebox so loudly was playing
Each couple having a ball
But of all of them gals their sweethearts and pals
I bet I'm the sickest of all
Oh sick sober and sorry
Broke disgusted and sad
But look at the fun that I had
The clock on the wall said it′s later
If fact it was twenty to four
In spite of my pride, they kicked me outside
They locked and they bolted the door
Oh sick sober and sorry
Broke disgusted and sad
But look at the fun that I had
In Johnny Bond's "Sick Sober and Sorry", the lyrics tell a story of a man who went out drinking and met a woman at a tavern, becoming increasingly intoxicated and losing control. The lyrics depict him as feeling ill, broke, and sad after the events of the night, but also reflecting on the good times he had with the woman before he got out of control.
The lyrics hint at the man's regret with lines like "Broke disgusted and sad", as well as his acknowledgement that he had fun but also caused himself some harm. Furthermore, he acknowledges that he is not alone, as there are many other people in the tavern having fun, but he is "the sickest of all." By the end of the night, he had been kicked out of the tavern with the knowledge that he had brought his illness and financial burden onto himself.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh sick sober and sorry
Despite being in a pitiful state of illness, sobriety, and regret, I can't deny the pleasure I experienced.
Broke disgusted and sad
I'm financially depleted, emotionally disheartened, and miserable.
But look at the fun that I had
Even though I'm miserable now, the joy and excitement I had while drinking were unmatched.
I met with a gal in a tavern
I ran into an attractive woman at a bar.
Oh, what a beautiful dream
She seemed like an incredible fantasy.
We had three or four, then had several more
We drank a few drinks and then kept drinking more.
And that′s when I went off my beam
That's when I spun out of control.
The jukebox so loudly was playing
The music from the jukebox was incredibly loud.
Each couple having a ball
All the pairs around me were having a great time.
But of all of them gals their sweethearts and pals
Regardless of how happy all the other people looked, I'm willing to bet that I'm the most ill out of everyone there.
I bet I'm the sickest of all
I wager that my physical and emotional condition at that moment was the most pitiable.
The clock on the wall said it′s later
The time display on the wall clock confirmed that it was getting late.
If fact it was twenty to four
In fact, it was nearly 4:00 a.m.
In spite of my pride, they kicked me outside
Even though I didn't want to leave, they removed me from the premises.
They locked and they bolted the door
They secured the entrance after they kicked me out.
Writer(s): Johnny Bond
Contributed by Gabriel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jpm5674
This lullaby is GOLD JERRY! GOLD!!!!
@DanWrightOICU812
What a song! As a kid I ran into it one day and it took to me like religion! Hallelujah! My Grandma went crazy every time she heard me playing "It"! Which made it even more fun! I am in my seventies now, I never did drink, but I Liked this song and was elated when I found it on YouTube! THANK YOU! Wayne Harvey! I will forever be in your debt! Dan Wright March the 24th, 2019
@MusicMan6966
My dear old mama had a couple of his songs on 78rpm. God love her. Check out his song Here come the Elephants for another laugh.
@717Fang
Which year of this record?