Before beginning his solo career, Fulks joined the Bluegrass band Special Consensus. Here he showcased his unique guitar playing, and appeared on the Grammy-nominated album "Hole In My Heart" released in 1989. Fulks' solo debut, "Country Love Songs" was released on Bloodshot Records in 1996 to positive reviews. This album was followed by 1997's South Mouth, which cemented Fulks' retro-alternative image.
As fans had grown used to Bloodshot's rough and sparse sound, many were shocked by the release of Fulks' third album, 1998's "Let's Kill Saturday Night," on Geffen Records. When Geffen disbanded shortly after the release of the record, Fulks found himself without a label, and did the logical thing, starting his own company, Boondoggle Records (distributed by Bloodshot), and releasing an album of previously unreleased material called "The Very Best of Robbie Fulks."
2001 saw the release of both "Couples in Trouble," a dark, brooding, and decidedly non-country album, and, just 3 months later, "13 Hillbilly Giants," a collection of covers of classic country numbers both obscure and well known.
Fulks would not release another album until 2005, when the release of "Georgia Hard" showed a return to his county roots. He also gained attention for a novelty single he wrote called "Fountains of Wayne Hotline," in which he imagined the power pop band Fountains of Wayne as having a hotline which struggling songwriters could call for help with their song structure.
Let's Live Together
Robbie Fulks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I guess I fell for you right from the start
Now I want to have you always beside me
So let's live together sweetheart
Chorus:
Yeah, let's live together, these ain't the cave times
I'm not a hunter gatherer or a backwater Baptist
So let's live together, sweetheart
Now, not very long ago, this would be scandal
From friends, and from loved ones, we'd be forced to part
But those days are over, we're free, white, and single
So let's live together sweetheart
Chorus
Now, side by side, each night, we watch the sun falling
One day when we die we'll be boiled in a cauldron
But right now we're having some fun
So, let's live together, these ain't the cave times
I'm not a hunter-gatherer or a backwater Baptist
I want your lovin', not a long line of strangers
So let's live together sweetheart
Yeah, let's live together, this ain't Alabama
I'm not a dumb Rotarian, you're not a Jesus-moron
I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies
So let's live together sweetheart
Yeah, let's live together sweetheart
In the song "Let's Live Together" by Robbie Fulks, the singer expresses his desire to be with someone he fell for right from the start. He wants to have that person always beside him and suggests that they should live together. Fulks acknowledges that not very long ago, living together without marriage would have been considered scandalous and would result in being shunned by friends and families. However, times have changed, and people are free to make their own choices. The singer highlights the fact that they are free, white, and single and can live together if they want to. The chorus repeats the sentiment, with the singer acknowledging that they are not living in the cave times when it was necessary to have children to continue the lineage. Instead, he just wants love and companionship without the need for marriage and babies.
The lyrics showcase a progressive attitude towards relationships and living together without the constraints of societal norms. The singer implies that he is not interested in conforming to traditional standards such as marriage and having babies. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the desire for love and companionship without the need for traditional expectations. The line "I don't want babies" is significant as it shows a break from societal expectations that put immense pressure on women to have children.
Overall, the song is a commentary on contemporary attitudes towards relationships and living together. It suggests that people are free to choose their own path, and societal norms should not impede their choices.
Line by Line Meaning
The moment I saw you, I wanted to know you
As soon as I laid eyes on you, I felt a strong desire to get to know you better
I guess I fell for you right from the start
I fell deeply in love with you right from the beginning
Now I want to have you always beside me
I desire to always have you by my side
So let's live together sweetheart
Let us live together as a couple and share our lives
Yeah, let's live together, these ain't the cave times
We live in modern times and we do not need to follow primitive social norms
I'm not a hunter gatherer or a backwater Baptist
I am not a primitive man or a conservative religious follower
I want your lovin', I don't want babies
I desire your affection and companionship, but I am not interested in starting a family
Now, not very long ago, this would be scandal
Not too long ago, our choice to live together would be considered scandalous by society
From friends, and from loved ones, we'd be forced to part
Our friends and family would have objected to us living together and we may have been forced to separate
But those days are over, we're free, white, and single
Fortunately, we now live in a time where we have the freedom to make our own choices and be single without facing significant societal pressure
Now, side by side, each night, we watch the sun falling
We enjoy spending our nights together and watching the sunset
One day when we die we'll be boiled in a cauldron
Eventually, we will both pass away and our bodies will decompose
But right now we're having some fun
But for now, we are enjoying our lives and each other's company
I want your lovin', not a long line of strangers
I desire your love and intimacy, not a series of casual sexual encounters with strangers
Yeah, let's live together, this ain't Alabama
We live in a modern and accepting society, not in a conservative state like Alabama
I'm not a dumb Rotarian, you're not a Jesus-moron
We are not ignorant and closed-minded individuals who blindly follow social norms and religious beliefs
I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies
I have no interest in or knowledge of childbirth and raising children
So let's live together sweetheart
Therefore, we should live together as a caring and loving couple
Yeah, let's live together sweetheart
Yes, we should definitely live together as partners and share our lives
Contributed by Alaina G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.