Forbert signed a recording contract with Nemperor in 1978, and they released his debut album, Alive on Arrival, that same year. His song "Romeo's Tune", although "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard" on the sleeve of Forbert's second album Jackrabbit Slim (released in 1979), is not about Supremes singer Ballard who died in 1976. "Forbert admits that Ballard became a timely connection for "Romeo's Tune", written about a girl from Meridian. "That seemed like such bad news to me and such sad news. She wasn't really taken care of by the music business, which is not a new story". At around this time critics hailed Forbert as "The new Bob Dylan" because of a similar vocal timbre and thoughtful songwriting. The front cover of Jackrabbit Slim encourages such comparisons with its simplicity: a black and white photo of Steve Forbert playing a well-worn Martin acoustic guitar with a capo on it, his shirt tinted green. The record was recorded in Nashville and produced by John Simon who had worked with The Band.
After many successful years, Forbert sought out new inspiration and found it when he relocated to Nashville in 1985. Forbert's tribute to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time, was nominated for a 2004 Grammy in the best traditional folk category. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame.
Recent albums include Strange Names & New Sensations (2007), The Place And The Time (2009), and Over With You (2012).
www.steveforbert.com
Get That Vagabond Feeling
Steve Forbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lazy, weeping willow
Swaying by a stream
Lay your body easy down
And drift into a dream
Way down south in Dixie
How long has it been?
You caught that ride to Wichita
And you ain't been back again
CHORUS
Just-a get that vagabond feeling
Get it on the road
Get it like Bo Diddley does
And get it like Tom Joad
And get it like a river does
Flowin' to the sea
(And) get it like a tumbleweed
Get it like you're free
VERSE
San Francisco summer
Foghorns in the night
Locked inside that life of yours
Where nothin' works out right
Standing by the highway
People passing by
Your salty tears welled up inside
And you can't even cry
(REPEAT CHORUS)
(INSTRUMENTAL BREAK)
VERSE
You got no close companions
No one knows you well
Up all night with strangers
In a Baltimore hotel
No one knows your mama
Now one knows your pa
And no one knows the life you left
In Batesville, Arkansas
(REPEAT CHORUS)
In Steve Forbert's song, "Get That Vagabond Feeling," the first verse begins with a serene image of a lazy, weeping willow swaying by a stream, encouraging the listener to lay down and drift into a dream. However, the tone shifts as Forbert sings about someone who has left Dixie and caught a ride to Wichita, but hasn't been back since. It seems like the person is searching for something, perhaps chasing that "vagabond feeling" and the freedom that comes with it, but hasn't found it yet.
The chorus encourages the listener to "get it on the road" and "get it like you're free," referencing Bo Diddley and Tom Joad as examples of people who embody this feeling. Forbert brings in imagery of rivers flowing to the sea and tumbleweeds rolling free, further emphasizing the desire for freedom and movement.
The second verse paints a different picture, this time of a person trapped in their life in San Francisco, where nothing seems to work out right. They stand by the highway, watching people pass by as they struggle to hold back tears. The final verse describes someone who has no close companions, spending their nights with strangers in a Baltimore hotel. Nobody knows their history or their life in Batesville, Arkansas.
Overall, the song seems to be about the desire for freedom and the struggles that can come with searching for it. Whether the listener is a weeping willow by a stream or a lost soul in a Baltimore hotel, Forbert encourages them to embrace that vagabond feeling and chase their dreams on the open road.
Line by Line Meaning
Lazy, weeping willow
Take it easy and relax
Swaying by a stream
Take some time and appreciate the small things
Lay your body easy down
Let yourself truly relax and let go
And drift into a dream
Allow yourself to escape reality and dream a bit
Way down south in Dixie
Thinking back to your past and where you've been
How long has it been?
Reflecting on how much time has passed since you've done something
You caught that ride to Wichita
Remembering that life-changing moment of leaving something behind
And you ain't been back again
Feeling disconnected from your past
Just-a get that vagabond feeling
Feeling the need to hit the road and explore
Get it on the road
Start moving and don't look back
Get it like Bo Diddley does
Take inspiration from those who are true wanderers
And get it like Tom Joad
Get your spirit of social justice and travel that led them to find a better life
And get it like a river does
Make the journey like a flowing river, taking everything for what it is
Flowin' to the sea
Move forward and keep exploring
(And) get it like a tumbleweed
Let yourself feel free and move with the wind
Get it like you're free
Be true to yourself and follow your own path
San Francisco summer
Reflecting on a past summer in San Francisco
Foghorns in the night
Remembering the sense of loneliness and solitude
Locked inside that life of yours
Feeling trapped and stuck in your current life
Where nothin' works out right
Feeling like nothing goes your way despite your best efforts
Standing by the highway
Wondering where the road may lead you
People passing by
Watching people on their journeys and feeling disconnected from them
Your salty tears welled up inside
Feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness and loneliness
And you can't even cry
Feeling numb and desensitized to your own emotions
You got no close companions
Feeling isolated and disconnected from others
No one knows you well
Feeling like no one truly understands you or your journey
Up all night with strangers
Feeling a sense of camaraderie with others you meet on the road
In a Baltimore hotel
Highlighting a specific location in which to feel these emotions
No one knows your mama
Feeling disconnected from your family and their expectations
Now one knows your pa
Feeling disconnected from your roots and upbringing
And no one knows the life you left
Feeling as if you are living a secret or double life
In Batesville, Arkansas
Highlighting the specific location you've left behind
Contributed by Charlie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
russrosh
on Get Well Soon
Love it!