He was born in Woodlake, California and raised in Ukiah. He taught himself guitar when he was 13 and considered his first influence to be Mike Bloomfield. At 18 he moved to San Francisco to form the Charles Ford Blues Band (named after his father, who was also a guitarist) featuring his brothers Mark (mouth harp) and Patrick (drums).
Robben was soon hired to play with Charles Musselwhite for nine months. Robben Ford played with Jimmy Witherspoon (1972-1973), the L.A. Express with Tom Scott (1974), George Harrison and Joni Mitchell. In 1977 he was a founding member of the Yellowjackets, which he stayed with until 1983, simultaneously having a solo career and working as a session guitarist.
In 1986, Ford toured with Miles Davis and he had two separate periods (1985 and 1987) with Sadao Watanabe, but he seemed to really find himself in 1992 when he returned to his roots: the blues. Ford formed a new group, the Blue Line, and subsequently recorded a couple of blues-rock dates for Stretch that are among the finest of his career. In 1999, he released Sunrise on Rhino and Supernatural on Blue Thumb. Ford signed to the Concord Jazz label in 2002 and released Blue Moon that same year, followed by Keep on Running in 2003 and Truth in 2007. Robben Ford whilst continuing to record solo albums has been touring in 2007 with guitar legend Larry Carlton.
Nothing To Nobody
Robben Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a husband to my wife
Seems I been something to somebody
Every day of my life
This is part of a master plan
It don't do much to preserve a man
I'd like to see
What it feels like to be
I'm a keeper to my brother
I'm my mama's fair haired boy
People, I would rather be
Nobody's pride and joy
No man is an island so they say
But if I could go there for just one day
I'd like to see
What it feels like to be
Nothin' to nobody
Free as a bird
Flyin' south for the winter
By the time they miss me I'll be long gone
For some people life is just a garden
They pick and choose for themselves
For me life can be the burdens
I have to carry for someone else
I'm top dog at my job
I do more than others can
The boss likes to tell me
I'm his right hand man
The preacher on Sunday
Tells me I'm just another child of God
Lord, if you're there and if you care
Could you see fit to answer my prayer
I'd like to see
What it feels like to be
Nothin' to nobody
The song Nothing to Nobody by Robben Ford is an introspective piece that explores the longing of the singer to experience a sense of freedom by being nothing to nobody. It talks about the various roles that the singer has played in his life as a father, husband, brother, son, employee, and a child of God. While he has always been someone to somebody, he wonders what it would feel like to have no burdens of responsibilities or expectations to anybody.
The lyrics show the singer's desire to break free from societal pressures and enjoy a sense of independence. The paradoxical nature of his desire could be interpreted as a feeling of being trapped in the roles he has played in his life so far, however satisfying they may have been. This song expresses the human need for identity, but also the desire to shake off that identity once in a while and be anonymous.
Overall, the song's message is ambiguous, as it is not clear whether the singer would ever act on his yearning for freedom. It is a poignant piece of music that explores the human condition through the simplicity of its lyrics and the emotion in the delivery.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a father to my children
I have the responsibility of being a father to my children and I fulfill this duty every day of my life.
I'm a husband to my wife
Being a husband to my wife is a significant role that I fulfill every day of my life.
Seems I been something to somebody
I have had the privilege of being important to someone in some way throughout my life.
Every day of my life
This is a continuous aspect of my life, happening every day in a consistent manner.
This is part of a master plan
Overall, these roles and responsibilities in my life are part of a larger plan or purpose.
It don't do much to preserve a man
However, these roles and responsibilities do not necessarily provide fulfillment or preservation of one's sense of self.
I'd like to see
I am curious or interested in experiencing a different perspective.
What it feels like to be
To understand or feel empathetic towards what someone else may be experiencing or feeling.
Nothin' to nobody
Having no particular importance or significance to anyone else.
I'm a keeper to my brother
I have a responsibility towards taking care of my brother in some way.
I'm my mama's fair haired boy
As the favored son in my mother's eyes, I have an important role in my family.
People, I would rather be
In spite of the privileges, I would prefer to have a different perspective or role in life.
Nobody's pride and joy
Not being a source of pride and joy to anyone else.
No man is an island so they say
It is a common saying that no one can exist in isolation or independently.
But if I could go there for just one day
However, I am still interested in experiencing or feeling what it might be like to have a sense of independence or isolation.
Free as a bird
An expression of feeling unbounded or unrestricted.
Flyin' south for the winter
An experience or perspective of having the freedom to go where one pleases.
By the time they miss me I'll be long gone
The feeling that one is not particularly important, as it would take a long time before anyone realizes they are gone.
For some people life is just a garden
For some, life is a place where they can choose what they want and harvest it at their leisure.
They pick and choose for themselves
They have the luxury to choose for themselves, without the obligation of serving anyone else.
For me life can be the burdens
In contrast to others, life for me can be a bunch of heavy responsibilities that I must carry for someone else.
I'm top dog at my job
I am the best or most important worker at my job.
I do more than others can
I am capable of doing more work than others, and I do so consistently.
The boss likes to tell me
My boss frequently praises me for my work and input at my job.
I'm his right hand man
As the boss's right hand man, I have an important role in the success and performance of the company.
The preacher on Sunday
The religious leader on Sundays.
Tells me I'm just another child of God
In the eyes of the religious leader, I am just another child of God, equal to everyone else.
Lord, if you're there and if you care
An appeal to a higher power or authority, questioning their care or concern about the artist.
Could you see fit to answer my prayer
Asking the higher power to respond to their request in a positive manner.
Contributed by Declan E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.