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
Song For The South
Steve Forbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's roamin' all alone in the deep, dark South
Her eyes are tired
And she's been livin' with a brain full of sunset fire too long
Babe, I want to send this song to you
I'm hopin' what I feel will ring on through
I've seen the stars
And I can see 'em in a dream of where you are right now
[Chorus:]
Yes, and time's gonna take me back
(Yes, and) time's gonna take me back
Yes, and time's gonna take me back to you
Baby's got the only love I trust
She's standin' in the rainy rust and dust
She's straight with me
Baby's got my wild nighttime sea laid down
Babe, I want to get your hand in mine
Let my little song be a screamin' sign
You are the one
And I'll be hangin' on to the things we done; meanwhile...
[Bridge:]
This city here kicks and rumbles
Way on past the midnight hour
There ain't nowhere to walk or run to get away
The world and the work's before me
I'm caught in the plans I made up
I don't know when, but I'll be back to you someday
Baby's wakin' up in the delta sun
She's wakin' up to blues, and she's on the run
That land is old
And it's haunted by a ghost in the chains of gold, blood chains
Babe, I want to cool you down for free
I want to do for you what you done for me
Your eyes are tired
And you've been livin' with a brain full of sunset fire too long
[Chorus]
The song "Song For The South" by Steve Forbert is a heartfelt tribute to a woman who is living a difficult life in the deep, dark South. The singer sings about a woman who is struggling to make ends meet, living from hand to mouth and wandering alone through life. She is tired, with a mind full of sunset fire which implies she has been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. The singer sends this song to her, hoping that it will ring through to her and let her know that she is not alone.
The chorus of the song speaks of how time will take the singer back to her, implying that he will return to the South eventually. The singer expresses his trust and love for the woman, singing that she is the only love he trusts. He wants to hold her hand and let his love be a screaming sign. The bridge mentions how the city rumbles past midnight, but there is nowhere to run or walk to get away. Despite this, the singer is caught in his own dreams, making plans to return to the woman someday.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby's livin' on from hand to mouth
The baby has barely enough resources to survive
She's roamin' all alone in the deep, dark South
She is wandering around the Southern US all by herself
Her eyes are tired
She is exhausted and fatigued
And she's been livin' with a brain full of sunset fire too long
She has been troubled for too long with something that is burning inside her
Babe, I want to send this song to you
I want this song to reach you and comfort you
I'm hopin' what I feel will ring on through
I hope my emotions are effectively conveyed through the song
I've seen the stars
I have had experiences and seen amazing sights
And I can see 'em in a dream of where you are right now
I can picture you in my mind and where you are currently
Baby's got the only love I trust
The baby is the only one I trust to give love to
She's standin' in the rainy rust and dust
She is standing in the rain and in unclean surroundings
She's straight with me
She is honest with me
Baby's got my wild nighttime sea laid down
The baby has tamed my wild nighttime emotions and thoughts
Babe, I want to get your hand in mine
I want to hold your hand and be with you
Let my little song be a screamin' sign
Let this song be a loud and clear message
You are the one
You are the one I love
And I'll be hangin' on to the things we done; meanwhile...
I'll be holding onto our memories for now
This city here kicks and rumbles
This city is noisy and full of activity
Way on past the midnight hour
Even late into the night
There ain't nowhere to walk or run to get away
There are no places to escape from the noise and stress of the city
The world and the work's before me
I have a lot of responsibilities in the world of work
I'm caught in the plans I made up
I feel stuck in the plans I have created for myself
I don't know when, but I'll be back to you someday
I don't know when, but I will return to you, eventually
Baby's wakin' up in the delta sun
The baby is waking up to a sunny morning in the Mississippi Delta
She's wakin' up to blues, and she's on the run
She is waking up feeling sad and on the move
That land is old
The Mississippi Delta is a very old place with a lot of history
And it's haunted by a ghost in the chains of gold, blood chains
The region is haunted by the memories of slavery and the chains that were used to confine and torture people of color
Babe, I want to cool you down for free
I want to help you relax and feel better, without expecting anything in return
I want to do for you what you done for me
I want to help you in the same way that you have helped me
Your eyes are tired
You are exhausted and fatigued
And you've been livin' with a brain full of sunset fire too long
You have been burdened by something internal and fiery for too long
Yes, and time's gonna take me back
Time will bring me back to you
(Yes, and) time's gonna take me back
Again, time will bring me back
Yes, and time's gonna take me back to you
I am certain that time will eventually bring me back to you
Lyrics © DEMI MUSIC CORP. D/B/A LICHELLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: STEVE FORBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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