The Bobs have broken with a cappella tradition several times by including instruments. The majority of the 1995 album Plugged is backed by toy drums. Plugged also made heavy use of studio equipment to make the voices sound more like guitars and bass guitars. Coaster includes a rock rhythm section on one song. But this original "band without instruments" usually uses just their mouths, hands, feet and "other body parts" to fill a room with a sound as big as an orchestra.
Members of the group are always credited with "Bob" as their middle name. The name is often described as an acronym for "Best of Breed," an award given out at dog shows.
The group has garnered a healthy cult following in the U.S. and Europe in the 24 years they've been touring and recording, and has won numerous songwriting and vocal performance honors.
Barbara Ann
The Bobs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann (take my hand)
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin'
Rockin' and a-reelin'
Barbara Ann
Went to a dance
Looking for romance
Saw Barbara Ann
So I thought I'd take a chance
Barbara Ann, take my hand
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin'
Rockin' and a reelin'
Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann (take my hand)
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin'
Rockin' and a reelin'
Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Tried Betty Sue
Tried Betty Lou
Tried Mary Sue
But I knew it wouldn't, do
Barbara Ann ba ba ba ba
Barbara Ann ba ba ba ba (take my hand)
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin'
Rockin' and a reelin'
Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann (take my hand)
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin'
Rockin' and a reelin'
Barbara Ann
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Barbara Ann, Barbara Ann
Barbara Ann, Barbara Ann
Barbara Ann, Barbara Ann
The song "Barbara Ann" by The Bobs is a classic rock and roll tune that tells the story of a guy who goes to a dance looking for romance and ends up singing about his love for a girl named Barbara Ann. The repetitive chorus "Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann" is infectious and will have anyone singing along in no time. The lyrics speak of his love for Barbara Ann and how she's got him rockin' and rollin'. He tried other girls, but they just didn't compare to the one and only Barbara Ann. It's a feel-good song that's sure to put a smile on anyone's face.
Line by Line Meaning
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
The singer is just repeating the name of the girl he's singing about, Barbara Ann.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Again, just repetition of the girl's name.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann (take my hand)
The singer asks Barbara Ann to take his hand here, expressing his desire to be closer to her.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Just more repetition of the girl's name.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
More repetition of the girl's name.
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin', Rockin' and a-reelin', Barbara Ann
The singer is saying that Barbara Ann has him feeling dizzy and out of control with her attractiveness.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
More repetition of the girl's name.
Went to a dance, Looking for romance, Saw Barbara Ann, So I thought I'd take a chance
The singer went to a dance hoping to find a romantic partner, but when he saw Barbara Ann, he decided to take a chance and try to pursue her.
Barbara Ann, take my hand
The singer is asking Barbara Ann to take his hand so they can be closer together.
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin', Rockin' and a-reelin', Barbara Ann
Once again, the singer emphasizes how attracted he is to Barbara Ann, and how she has him feeling dizzy and out of control.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Repetition of the girl's name.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Still more repetition of the girl's name.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann (take my hand)
Once again, the singer asks Barbara Ann to take his hand and be closer together.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
More repetition of the girl's name.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
Still more repetition of the girl's name.
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin', Rockin' and a-reelin', Barbara Ann
Again, the singer emphasizes how attracted he is to Barbara Ann and how she makes him feel out of control with desire.
Tried Betty Sue, Tried Betty Lou, Tried Mary Sue, But I knew it wouldn't do
Before he met Barbara Ann, the singer tried to date other women named Betty Sue, Betty Lou, and Mary Sue, but knew deep down that it wouldn't work out with them.
Barbara Ann ba ba ba ba
Here, the singer is just repeating the girl's name once again.
Barbara Ann ba ba ba ba (take my hand)
One last time, the singer asks Barbara Ann to take his hand so they can be closer together.
You've got me rockin' and a-rollin', Rockin' and a-reelin', Barbara Ann
The song ends with the singer one final time expressing his attraction and desire for Barbara Ann, saying how she has him feeling dizzy and out of control with desire.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
The final repetition of the girl's name in the song.
Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann
The last repetition of Barbara Ann's name in the song.
Barbara Ann, Barbara Ann
A final repetition of Barbara Ann's name, emphasizing how much the singer is fixated on her.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Fred Fassert
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind