Musical career
In the 1970s, Saunders began collaborating with Jerry Garcia, with the Grateful Dead and with Garcia's bands The Legion of Mary and Reconstruction.
He's led his own bands, as Merl Saunders and Friends, playing live dates with Garcia, as well as Mike Bloomfield, David Grisman, Tom Fogerty, Vassar Clements, Kenneth Nash, John Kahn and Sheila E.
In 1990 he released the world music and New Age classic album Blues From the Rainforest, a collaboration with Jerry Garcia and Muruga Booker. This led to the release of a video which chronicled Saunders' journey to the Amazon, and the subsequent album Fiesta Amazonica.
He worked with musicians Paul Pena, Bonnie Raitt, Phish, Miles Davis, and B.B. King. Merl also recorded with The Dinosaurs, a "supergroup" of first-generation Bay Area rock musicians.
Released material own Sumertone (his own record label) and also recorded on Fantasy Records, Galaxy Records and Relix as well as the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia labels. He worked with the Grateful Dead on the theme music for the 1985 TV show The New Twilight Zone, and with Mickey Hart on the score for the show. He was a director of The Recording Academy, and did the sound design for several of the Grammy Awards.
Discography
Main studio, live and compilation releases
1968 - Soul Grooving - Merl Saunders Trio and Big Band
1972 - Heavy Turbulence - with Tom Fogerty
1973 - Fire Up - with Tom Fogerty and Jerry Garcia
1973 - Live at the Keystone - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
1974 - Merl Saunders
1976 - You Can Leave Your Hat On - with Aunt Monk
1979 - Do I Move You
1982 - San Francisco After Dark
1988 - Meridien Dreams
1988 - Keystone Encores Vol. 1 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
1988 - Keystone Encores Vol. 2 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
1988 - Live at the Keystone Vol. 1 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
1988 - Live at the Keystone Vol. 2 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
Feelings
1990 - Blues From The Rainforest - with the Rainforest Band
1991 - Save The Planet So We'll Have Someplace To Boogie
1992 - Fire Up Plus - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Tom Fogerty and Ron Tutt
1993 - It's In The Air
1995 - Still Having Fun
1997 - Keepers - Merl Saunders and Friends
1998 - Fiesta Amazonica
1998 - The Twilight Zone (Vol. 1): Original Soundtrack from the TV series - Grateful Dead & Merl Saunders
1998 - Merl Saunders Live With His Funky Friends
2000 - Struggling Man - Merl Saunders & His Funky Friends
2004 - Still Groovin'
2004: Keystone Berkeley: September 1, 1974 with Jerry Garcia
2006: Well-Matched: The Best of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia (Fantasy)
Someday Baby
Merl Saunders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hurts you go bad for us to part
But some day baby, you ain't gonna worry my life any more
She's on my mind, she's on my mind, every place I go
How much I love her nobody knows
But some day baby, you ain't gonna worry my life any more
So many nights, since you been gone,
I been wonderin', how my life goes on
And my story, here's all I got to say,
"Goodbye baby, don't care what you do"
But some day baby, you ain't gonna worry my life any more
The lyrics of Merl Saunders's "Someday Baby" tell the story of a narrator who is suffering from a broken heart. The opening line "Oh Lordy Lord, Oh Lordy Lord/Hurts you go bad for us to part" expresses the overwhelming pain and sadness felt by the end of a romantic relationship. Despite this, the singer looks to the future with hope, stating "But some day baby, you ain't gonna worry my life any more." This line suggests that there will come a time when the pain of the breakup will subside and the singer will move on from their former lover.
As the song progresses, the singer admits that they cannot stop thinking about their ex, and that they love them deeply even though "nobody knows" the extent of their feelings. However, the dream of a better future without their ex persists, and the singer insists that "some day baby, you ain't gonna worry my life any more."
In the final lines, the singer says goodbye to their ex, declaring "Goodbye baby, don't care what you do." Despite this apparent indifference, the singer still believes that they will one day be free from the heartache caused by their former lover.
Overall, "Someday Baby" is a poignant exploration of the pain caused by the end of a relationship, and the hope that comes with the possibility of moving on from that pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Lordy Lord, Oh Lordy Lord
Expressing exasperation at the situation
Hurts you go bad for us to part
It's painful to leave each other
But some day baby, you ain't gonna worry my life any more
Someday, the person won't be a concern anymore
She's on my mind, she's on my mind, every place I go
Frequently thinking about the person everywhere
How much I love her nobody knows
Loving deeply, but keeping it to oneself
So many nights, since you been gone,
Feeling the absence for a long time
I been wonderin', how my life goes on
Thinking about how life moves forward
And my story, here's all I got to say,
Summing up the situation
"Goodbye baby, don't care what you do"
Saying goodbye and letting go
But some day baby, you ain't gonna worry my life any more
Again noting that someday the person won't be a concern anymore
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SAM HOPKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind