Monroe sang with some of the "Big Bands" of the '40s era, but his music transcended that style to become a popular radio and television personality - like Perry Como, Dean Martin, etc.
Bamboo
Vaughn Monroe Lyrics
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And the rain come down, seem to say
In a voice so appealing
Go away, oh, don't delay
Though there's bamboo all around me
I vow, I'll find a way
But bamboo has tied and bound me
Why do the tom-toms all beat so loudly
Why do the shadows all seem to crowd me?
Can't stop this pounding, pounding, pounding, in my head
Through the night I toss, on my bamboo bed
Bamboo walls, bamboo ceiling
Hold me, though love is gone
In my heart, there is no feeling
But somehow, I carry on
Bamboo walls, bamboo ceiling
Bamboo beam, within my heart (bamboo, bamboo)
The song "Bamboo" by Vaughn Monroe depicts a person who is trapped in a place surrounded by bamboo walls and ceiling. Despite the rain urging the person to go away, they vow to find a way out. However, the bamboo seems to have tied and bound them, taking away any hope to escape. The pounding tom-toms and the shadows crowding the person make them restless and unable to sleep soundly on their bamboo bed. The bamboo walls and ceilings that once held lovely memories, now cannot comfort the person who has lost love and feels hollow. Yet, they carry on.
The bamboo in the song symbolizes the trap or confinement that the person is in, unable to escape from the place they are in, and the pounding tom-toms, and the shadows crowding symbolize the mental state of the person, restless and unable to calm down. The lyrics reveal the struggle of being trapped in a place where one has lost love, but despite it all, they carry on until they can find a way out.
Line by Line Meaning
Bamboo walls, bamboo ceiling
Describing the surroundings, emphasizing the prevalence of bamboo
And the rain come down, seem to say
Indicates the presence of rain and the way it seems to interact with the bamboo
In a voice so appealing
The way the rain is appealing to the singer's senses
Go away, oh, don't delay
The message the rain seems to be saying to the artist
Though there's bamboo all around me
The artist acknowledges the prevalence of bamboo in their surroundings
I vow, I'll find a way
Despite the bamboo, the singer is determined to find a solution
But bamboo has tied and bound me
The bamboo is proving to be an obstacle for the singer
And I know I'm here to stay
The artist seems to be stuck in this situation
Why do the tom-toms all beat so loudly
The artist hears loud drumming and is questioning it
Why do the shadows all seem to crowd me?
The presence of shadows appears to be unsettling the artist
Can't stop this pounding, pounding, pounding, in my head
The drumming and other stimuli are overwhelming the singer and causing them distress
Through the night I toss, on my bamboo bed
The artist is having trouble sleeping and is tossing and turning in bed made of bamboo
Bamboo walls, bamboo ceiling
Reiteration of the surroundings
Hold me, though love is gone
The bamboo surroundings still provide a sense of security, despite the loss of love
In my heart, there is no feeling
The singer's heart is numb or empty
But somehow, I carry on
Despite the difficulties, the artist is still moving forward
Bamboo walls, bamboo ceiling
Reiteration of the surroundings
Bamboo beam, within my heart (bamboo, bamboo)
The singer is likening the bamboo to something that is part of them or within them
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buddy Bernier, Nat Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@adams.9366
My grandmother had this 78 record 😁👍
@roberthutchison8197
Monroe was called the man whose voice had hair on its chest...
@jorgenrasmussen8568
This song makes me think of Somerset Maugham's short story Rain. Neither this recording or the song ever achieved much. But interesting.
@leelarson107
True. But Monroe's voice is always good no matter what he sings.