In the 1980s Russell made four albums credited to the Tom Russell Band. These featured Andrew Hardin and accordionist Fats Kaplin.
In the 1990s Russell made a number of solo albums, collaborated with blues singer Barrence Whitfield on two albums, and also recorded an acoustic album mixing original material with his favorite cowboy-themed songs. His albums include several guest appearances from other folk, country, and Americana artists, such as Chris Gaffney and Dave Alvin. His song "Outbound Plane", co-written with Nanci Griffith, became a Top Ten country hit for Suzy Bogguss. His most significant album from this period is the 1999 folk opera, The Man From God Knows Where.
His more recent albums include "Blood and Candle Smoke" (2009) and "Mesabi" (2011).
Farewell Never Never Land
Tom Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Straight on until morning, my little friend
There's an island called Never Land
Where childhood dreams never end
Farewell, Never, Never Land
Farewell, Never, Never Land
Some kids playing baseball in a vacant lot
In New York City
Found a body lyin' in the weeds
The voice of Peter Pan, the cabin boy
In 'Treasure Island'
Mommy didn't tell me Peter Pan could bleed
No one identified the body
He was buried in an unmarked, potter's field grave
From Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Chino state prison
Oh what a holy noise Bobby Driscoll made
Adventures in the Hollywood skin trade
Whatever happened to Bobby Driscoll?
Whatever happened to Peter Pan?
Whatever happened to the cabin boy
Young Jim Hawkins?
Farewell, Never, Never Land
Farewell, Never, Never Land
When Walt Disney terminated
Bobby Driscoll's contract, little Bobby got the blues
He screamed, "Nobody terminates Peter Pan uncle Walt"
Then he started walkin' backwards in a junkie's shoes
'Song Of The South, The Happy Time
Treasure Island, When I Grow Up'
Bobby Driscoll played hell out of 'em all
The first child actor to move to Topanga Canyon
The first one to take a fall
Yeah, Bobby really hit the wall
My old man got us a ranch in Topanga Canyon
Bought me a broke down thoroughbred named, My Chief
That crazy old racehorse died tangled up in barbed wire
Sort of like Bobby Driscoll and the entire age, don't ya think?
I saw Bobby hangin' out near the Topanga Canyon Market
To tell ya' the truth he looked a trifle stoned
I walked up to him and said, "Gee, Bobby
You were great in Treasure Island"
He snarled, "Go away, kid
And leave me the hell alone"
Like a dog and I was gonna take away his bone
The first stanza of Tom Russell's song "Farewell Never Never Land" has Peter Pan's directive to Wendy and her siblings, "second star to the right, straight on until morning," to get to the magical island of Never Land. In Never Land, childhood dreams never end, as Russell describes in the lines "Where childhood dreams never end, farewell Never Never Land." However, the dreaminess turns into a darker reality in the next lines, as the story shifts to a group of kids playing baseball in New York City, where they find a body lying in the weeds. The body belongs to Bobby Driscoll, the young man who portrayed the voice of Peter Pan in Disney's 1953 animated film of the same name. Russell evokes Driscoll's other roles in Disney movies like "Song of the South," "The Happy Time", and "Treasure Island", in the remaining verses of the song. However, Russell juxtaposes the nostalgia of childhood and the tragedy of Driscoll's life, ending on a bitter note, where he recounts his own encounter with Driscoll in the Topanga Canyon Market, where the latter was a shell of his former self.
Line by Line Meaning
Second star to the right
Follow the North Star until it leads you to your dreams
Straight on until morning, my little friend
Don't give up until you achieve your goals
There's an island called Never Land
An imaginary place where you can always be a child
Where childhood dreams never end
A place where you can hold onto your innocence forever
Farewell, Never, Never Land
Saying goodbye to the idea of eternal youth and innocence
Some kids playing baseball in a vacant lot
A group of children playing innocently
In New York City
In a bustling urban area
Found a body lyin' in the weeds
Discovering the harsh reality of death and violence
The voice of Peter Pan, the cabin boy
The realization that even fictional characters can die
In 'Treasure Island'
A classic adventure novel featuring a young protagonist
Mommy didn't tell me Peter Pan could bleed
Growing up and realizing that even the youngest and most innocent can be hurt
No one identified the body
The senselessness of a senseless crime and the lack of justice
He was buried in an unmarked, potter's field grave
The anonymous nature of death and the potential cruelty of society
From Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Chino state prison
The distance between a Midwestern childhood and a Southern California downfall
Oh what a holy noise Bobby Driscoll made
The chaos and tragedy of a child star's life
Adventures in the Hollywood skin trade
The harsh realities of the entertainment industry
Whatever happened to Bobby Driscoll?
A question about a forgotten Hollywood tragic figure
Whatever happened to Peter Pan?
The loss of childhood innocence and optimism
Whatever happened to the cabin boy
The end of youthful adventure and exploration
Young Jim Hawkins?
The loss of youthful determination and bravery
When Walt Disney terminated Bobby Driscoll's contract, little Bobby got the blues
The disappointment and disillusionment of a former child star
He screamed, 'Nobody terminates Peter Pan uncle Walt'
The realization that even the most magical things can be destroyed by reality
Then he started walkin' backwards in a junkie's shoes
The decline of a former child star into addiction and self-destructive behavior
'Song Of The South, The Happy Time
The short-lived success of a young actor
Treasure Island, When I Grow Up'
Performances in movies about childhood adventure and growth
Bobby Driscoll played hell out of 'em all
A talented actor who was unable to sustain his career
The first child actor to move to Topanga Canyon
A young star who attempted to escape Hollywood's clutches
The first one to take a fall
The beginning of a downward spiral
Yeah, Bobby really hit the wall
The tragic end to a promising career
My old man got us a ranch in Topanga Canyon
A return to innocence and nature
Bought me a broke down thoroughbred named, My Chief
A symbol of hope and a fresh start
That crazy old racehorse died tangled up in barbed wire
The cruel twists of fate and the loss of innocent hope
Sort of like Bobby Driscoll and the entire age, don't ya think?
The metaphorical death of a former child star and the loss of a more innocent era
I saw Bobby hangin' out near the Topanga Canyon Market
An encounter with a former star who had fallen on hard times
To tell ya' the truth he looked a trifle stoned
The unfortunate reality of addiction and self-medicating
He snarled, 'Go away, kid
The bitterness and anger of someone who had lost it all
And leave me the hell alone'
The sadness of someone who had fallen from grace and had little left to hold onto
Like a dog and I was gonna take away his bone
The desperation and suspicion that often accompany the fall from stardom
Contributed by Dominic R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.