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
Sadly Sorta Like a Soap Opera
Steve Forbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's out somewhere and gamblin' and perhaps he's in a fight
And yes you know about the woman, and you know there's three or four
Perhaps he's out there laughin' now and dancin' 'round the floor
And yes you try to make the best of it, which isn't much I know
You thought you've had your fill of it, you see that it wasn't so, oh
No
He damn near broke your nose last night and hardly does he drink
And as the wind blows at the windows and the clouds go by the moon
The walls closin' around you and your sadness still's around
And yet you try to make the best of it, which isn't much I know
You thought you've had your fill of it, but you see that it wasn't so, oh
No, oh no
You know you make your own decisions and you live the life you choose
I watch it from the sidelines and it sure gives me the blues
You know you're sure to find me waiting, should you ever come around
I am the one who loves you while he drives you further down
And yes you try to make the best of it, which isn't much I know
You thought you've had your fill of it, but you see that it wasn't so, oh
No, no babe
The song “Sadly Sorta Like a Soap Opera” by Steve Forbert is a powerful and poignant story of domestic abuse and infidelity. The singer describes a woman whose partner is absent, possibly cheating, possibly even fighting. She is alone with her children, struggling to hold things together. The chorus repeats the phrase “you try to make the best of it, which isn’t much I know” emphasizing the woman’s attempts to hold onto her family while dealing with an abusive situation.
The song is not only about the heartache and trauma of the singer but also shows genuine empathy from the singer. The second verse is particularly painful as the singer describes the physical violence inflicted by the woman’s husband. The lyrics paint a clear picture of the turmoil she is going through, with the walls seemingly closing in on her.
The final verse offers a glimmer of hope, as the singer expresses his own love for her and offers an invitation to return if she ever needs to. This song is a powerful examination of domestic abuse and the emotional and psychological toll that it takes on those affected.
Line by Line Meaning
The walls closin' around you and he won't be home tonight
You feel trapped and alone as he's out doing his own thing and won't be coming home
He's out somewhere and gamblin' and perhaps he's in a fight
He's not there for you because he's off gambling, getting into fights, or both
And yes you know about the woman, and you know there's three or four
You're aware that he's seeing multiple other women besides you
Perhaps he's out there laughin' now and dancin' 'round the floor
He's having a great time while you're stuck at home feeling sad and alone
And yes you try to make the best of it, which isn't much I know
You're trying to be positive but it's difficult given the circumstances
You thought you've had your fill of it, you see that it wasn't so, oh
No
You thought you were done with this kind of treatment, but unfortunately you're still putting up with it
Now your babies are sleepin' soundly and you hang your head and think
Your children are asleep while you're feeling overwhelmed and defeated
He damn near broke your nose last night and hardly does he drink
He's physically abusive towards you and it's not because he's drunk
And as the wind blows at the windows and the clouds go by the moon
The scene outside reflects the turbulence you're feeling on the inside
And yet you try to make the best of it, which isn't much I know
You continue to try and make the best of a bad situation, but it's not easy
You thought you've had your fill of it, but you see that it wasn't so, oh
No, oh no
Despite your efforts to escape this situation, you're still stuck in it
You know you make your own decisions and you live the life you choose
You have the power to make your own choices and shape your life
I watch it from the sidelines and it sure gives me the blues
I observe the pain you're going through and it makes me sad
You know you're sure to find me waiting, should you ever come around
I'll be there for you if you ever decide to leave him and come back to me
I am the one who loves you while he drives you further down
I'm the one who truly cares about you, while he just drags you down
And yes you try to make the best of it, which isn't much I know
You keep trying to make the best of a bad situation, but there's not much you can do
You thought you've had your fill of it, but you see that it wasn't so, oh
No, no babe
You thought you had enough of this pain, but unfortunately you're still dealing with it
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVE FORBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
russrosh
on Get Well Soon
Love it!