Buckley often regarded his tenor voice as an instrument, a talent most noticeable on his albums Happy Sad, Lorca, and Starsailor. His first marriage was to Mary Guibert, with whom he had a child, musician Jeff Buckley. They divorced in 1968 and after this Buckley would meet with his son only once more. Buckley married second wife Judy Brejot Sutcliffe in 1970 and adopted her son, Taylor.
Born in Washington DC, Buckley,an Irish-American, lived for 10 years in Amsterdam, New York, before moving to southern California, initially to Bell Gardens and later settling in Anaheim in 1965. His experiences with music were through his family, artists such as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland being particular favorites in the household. During his childhood, Buckley was a fan of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Nat King Cole and Miles Davis, although country music was his foremost passion. Reflecting this, at the age of 11 Buckley learned how to play the banjo, an instrument which his mother had bought to occupy him following a bout of mumps. He attended Loara High School in Anaheim, California, and, amongst others, made friends with Don Gordon, Larry Beckett, Jim Fielder (original member of Blood, Sweat & Tears) and future wife, Mary Guibert. He was an accomplished high school athlete, becoming a quarterback for the school team in addition to getting a place on the baseball team. During this period playing as quarterback, Buckley broke the first two fingers on his left hand but they never fully returned to normal and made guitar playing more difficult. At the age of 15, Buckley abandoned the banjo and moved on to the guitar, playing with Princess Ramona & The Cherokee Riders, a country and western band. However, the lead singer saw Buckley was uninterested and instead suggested he apply himself to the emerging 1960's folk scene.
Buckley's career began with his 1966 debut Tim Buckley, its mix of pop and folk rock drawing on popular influences of the time. His popularity peaked with second album Goodbye and Hello, a more mature record with avant-garde influences and political sentiments. In the three years that followed Buckley was at his most prolific and experimental, producing four albums of varying styles. Happy Sad and Blue Afternoon showed Buckley's folk roots while Lorca veered to more avant-garde styles. The final album of this period, Starsailor, is a mix of jazz, funk and avant-garde styles, representing his continual evolution in genre. This period, while garnering some critical success, proved disastrous for his record sales as the disparity of his styles caused his fan-base to all but disappear.
Following this Buckley changed genres again, with 1972 release Greetings from L.A., which incorporated the funk, rhythm and blues and soul sounds of the early 1970s in to his music. However, this release and the following album Sefronia did not match up to the success of his previous work. In 1974, having alienated much of his fan-base and squandered money made at his peak, Buckley released Look at the Fool, which was neither well received by the public nor the majority of critics. By this point Buckley had grown disillusioned with the music industry and his drug abuse of the past seven years had affected him.
In spite of this, in early 1975, desperate for musical recognition and an escape from poverty and obscurity, Buckley dropped his drug dependencies and engaged the musical press regarding a live album comeback. Buckley began performing material drawn from his whole career as a response to the desires of his audience, desires he had always spurned in the past. However, Buckley relapsed and on June 28, 1975, he overdosed on heroin. His wife Judy, having earlier put him in bed, was unable to rouse him and paramedics pronounced him dead on arrival. He was 28 years old and was survived by his wife and adopted son Taylor, and his biological son, Jeff (who also died at a young age).
Happy Time
Tim Buckley Lyrics
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When a melody does find a rhyme
Says to me I'm comin' home to stay
Oh, Lord, home to stay
I'm comin' home to stay
Home to stay
Ah, lord, it's just the same old story
A nickel and a dime a dozen
Fame
Ah, it's such a shame
Ah, the way they use your name
Ah, you know it's such a shame
When it's only mine to sing a song
Hoping that you'd cross along my way
Before I have to move along
Ah, now move along
Ah, but I'll be back again
Ooh back again
Ah, it's a happy time inside my mind
When a melody does find a rhyme
Says to me I'm comin' home to stay
Oh, Lord, home to stay
I'm comin' home to stay
Home to stay
Sleep late now mama
Let the mornin' sun warm your bed
While I'm away
While I'm away
In Tim Buckley's song "Happy Time," he sings about the joy he feels when a melody finds its rhyme and how it makes him feel like he's coming home to stay. He contrasts this with the gritty reality of the music industry, where love and fame are often interchanged and artists are easily discarded like a "nickel and a dime a dozen." He expresses a desire to be recognized for his talent without being used for his name and to find someone special to share his music with before he has to move on.
The lyrics capture the conflict between the artistry and commercialism often found in the music industry. Buckley's desire to create music that is meaningful to him and connects with his listeners is in contrast with the industry's tendency to turn artists into commodities. He seems to yearn for a time when music was simpler and more authentic.
The song's melancholic tone is accentuated by the sparse instrumental accompaniment, which consists of Buckley's acoustic guitar and some muted drums. The lyrics reveal the tension between the artist's inner life and outer reality, making it all the more poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, it's a happy time inside my mind
I am content and joyful in my thoughts
When a melody does find a rhyme
When a tune and lyrics fit together perfectly
Says to me I'm comin' home to stay
Tells me that I will be returning home and staying for good
Oh, Lord, home to stay
Expresses excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to return home
I'm comin' home to stay
Affirms that the singer is returning home and settling down
Home to stay
Emphasizes the singer's desire to remain in their home
Ah, lord, it's just the same old story
Expresses disappointment in a repetitive tale
Something about love for glory
Describes the motivation for the story being the desire for recognition and admiration due to love
A nickel and a dime a dozen
Indicates that the subject matter is common or ordinary
Fame
Refers to the seeking of public recognition or admiration
Ah, it's such a shame
States the singer's disappointment and sadness
Ah, the way they use your name
Refers to the exploitation of one's identity or likeness by others
Ah, you know it's such a shame
Reiterates the singer's disappointment
When it's only mine to sing a song
Describes the exclusivity of the singer's music
Hoping that you'd cross along my way
Expresses the singer's desire for a person of interest to come into their life
Before I have to move along
Before the singer must go somewhere else
Ah, now move along
Indicates the singer's readiness to depart and continue on their journey
Ah, but I'll be back again
Assures that the singer will return to the place they are leaving
Ooh back again
Repeats the affirmation of returning
Sleep late now mama
Encourages the mother to rest in the morning
Let the mornin' sun warm your bed
Suggests to take advantage of the warmth of the sun in the morning
While I'm away
In the singer's absence
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BUCKLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind