Customer Reviews

Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Bobby Bare's "Lullaby's Legends and Lies" has often been called the first recorded "concept album"; while this tightly-knit genre has its progenitors in rock and roll, Bare's release does have the distinction of being the first country record centered around a unifying theme. Bare and his partner-in-crime, songwriter/author Shel Silverstein, both share a unique perspective on American music (before this collaboration, Silverstein had written "A Boy Named Sue" for Johnny Cash) and his lyrical content perfectly compliments Bare's spirited delivery. It's rare to find smart, incisive music written about mermaids, Paul Bunyan and Marie Laveau, but this recording makes such an allliance seem adult without sounding childish. "Lullaby's, Legends and Lies" also holds the distinction of being one of Bare's more successful releases; several of his standards can be found here, including "Marie Laveau", "The Winner", "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe" and a duet with his very young son, "Daddy, What If". Considering some of the slick product being passed off for country music today, this particular album is absolutely essential to any record or CD collection. Personal Favorites: the frighteningly funny "Marie Laveau" and the dark, brooding ambiance of "Bottomless Well". Representative Lyrics: "Then one day she swam away and I sang to the clams and whales/ How I missed her eyes and her seaweed hair and the silvery shine of her scales/ Just then her sister, she swam by and set my heart a-whirl/ 'Cause her upper part was an ugly fish, but the bottom part was a girl!" ("The Mermaid"); "I got arthuritic elbows, boy, I got dislocated knees/ From pickin' fights with thunderstorms and chargin' into trees/ And my nose been broke so often, I might lose it if I sneeze/ And son, you say you still wanna be a winner?" ("The Winner")

This was the first album I ever bought, at the age of 12, with some money I had saved by mowning lawns. I listened to it for years until I wore the vinyl record out. "The Winner" and "Marie Leveaux" could be heard on the radio at the time but the real beauty of the album, I think, is the seldom-heard "Roaslie's Good Eats Cafe" and "In the Hills of Shiloh." Today, my wife uses "Rosalie's" to teach her 12th grade English students about descriptive writing. My two boys and I giggle at the "Mermaid", "Paul", "Sure Hit Songwriters Pen", and all the other great ones. Thanks Bobby & Shel for this artistic collaboration -- and for thirty years (and counting) of enjoyment.

I first heard of Bobby Bare when his song "Detroit City" was enjoying very frequent airplay way back in 1960. I bought the album "500 Miles Away From Home" and practically wore it out playing it and have become a fan of Bobby Bare since. Bobby Bare has kept up with the times and his style of music changes somewhat as years go by. However, he still maintains his original to the heart laid back style of singing. Even though he has enjoyed many chart successes including the Best Country Song Grammy award for his "Detroit City", none of his songs has ever reached the number one spot until 1972 when he released this very successful album "Lullabys Legends and Lies". One of the songs from the album namely "Marie Laveau" went to the number one spot in the country chart and was his only song to do so. "Lullabys, Legends and Lies" was Bare's most successful album and I feel it deserves a much more detailed review for the potential buyers. It was also his most successful concept album. Bobby Bare is the first artist to come up with a concept album. His very first was a concept album about reminiscing the past..... a 1967 album called "A Bird named Yesterday" with songs mainly written by Jack Clement. It is my all time favourite LP of Bobby Bare which I hope will be available on CD soon. . Those who love "Lullabys Legend & Lies" will surely love this album. As a fan of Bobby Bare for 40years, I do agree that this is one of Bare's best concept albums with excellent to the heart interpretation of Shel Silvestein's lyrics. The very talented Shel was an excellent song writer having written numerous hits including "A Boy Named Sue" for Johnny Cash, "One's On The Way" for Loretta Lynn, "Sylvia's Mother" for Dr. Hook and 'The Unicorn" for Irish Rover. This album consists of 14 "lullabys, legends and lies". It was very successfully done with an added hysterical atmosphere with Bobby Bare telling his lullabys, legends and lies to a bunch of very appreciative live audience which included cerebrities and friends of Bobby Bare such as Waylon Jennings. You can actually hear the response from the audience and appreciate just how much they are enjoying themselves. "Marie Laveau", "Winners", "Daddy What If" and the tittle song were chart successes. "Marie Laveau" tells an interesting tale of a witch. This song not only became the number one chart hit but also Bobby Bare's most requested song during his concert performances. The audience just love the witch yell! "Daddy What If" became a top 5 hits after RCA made a successful promotion to the DJs. The song was a duet with the then very young Bobby Bare Jr. It is a cute family song and very difficult not to like. I love the song "Wonderful Soup Stone" with it's up tempo beat and a very melodic chorus. "The Winner", another chart hit with a typical Bare's tongue in cheek humour, tells a very interesting and funny story of how a smaller man picked a fight with another twice his size, who instead of beating him up decided to tell him just how it is to be a winner! You will love the rather poetic and funny lyrics. ".....these bright white smilin' teeth, you know, they ain't my own. Mine rolled away like Chiclets on the streets of San Antoine" and how his nose being broken so often that "I might loose it when I sneeze!" The song is full of such humour. The accompanying fast tempo music and the very effective change of music key add to the success of this song. "She's My Ever Loving Machine" and the "Mermaid" are two other novelty songs in this collection. "In the Hills of Shiloh" and "Paul", "Stay Awhile" and "Rosalie's Good Eats Café" are nice ballads sung in the familiar Bare's laid back style. After this album's success, Bobby Bare brought out some other good concept albums with the help of his now very close buddy, the late Shel. "Hard Times Hungry" is now available on CDs. Another very successful concept album is the one called "Singing in the Kitchen" which he did with his whole family. Shel again wrote most of the songs and I have received so many E-mails all over the world asking me where to get this other album!

Many of these reviews are good but also erroneous.This is probably the best theme album of all time in any genre. But it was NOT the first theme album in country music. That distinction belongs to Johnny Cash in the early sixties.To appreciate ones music one does not have to denegrate someone elses music or contribution, or to have novice listeners make silly statements without them having the scope to be in the know. Johnny Cash says Bare is his favorite, he also was known as Jennings favorite.He also should be given more credit for the sweeping changes in the artist as being in control of their music.Far before Waylon and Willie , Bare learned from Cash how to rule his music from Nashville producers. Listen and enjoy . They are all favorites - but the last The Winner is a classic!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of any genre. Thanks Mr. Bare for your lifes music. Brad Stender.

My dad had this album many years ago and I don't know who played it more, me or him? I was only 10 about the time and over the years, I had forgotten about the album but still parts of the songs would come to me at different times. And with that comes all the memories. Funny how music does that? Anyway, I remembered the album this week and now this completes my quest. Send it to me soon. Thanks, Mark Jeter.

The Bare's cool, calm voice, singing the lyrics of Shel Silverstein.....what more do you want? This is a "must" for any collection !!!

I say that because, I have worn out 4 LP's and I lost count of how many tapes I played to death in 1989, I think. Shel's words and Bobby's delivery touch all the emotions, I laughed and cried, I remembered, I enjoyed. Now if somebody could tell me where I can get "Cowboys and Daddys" and "Me and McDill" and the album (I can't 'member the title)with "Coming Down's Easy" and "Arizona Desert", well, I'll just be tickled to death. One more thing, when Bobby Bare sang "Don't Think You're Too Good for Country Music", my Rock&Roll son-n-law saw the light and was converted!! "Bare et al" Keep the music coming,Bobby!!!

I think of home when I hear "Daddy what if?" Man, it realy brings me back to my childhood. My Dad and I used to sing this to each other. My Dad is a drunk now. He is a "True Alcoholic" But he and I used to sing this to each other when I was little. I am 29 now. I hope anyone who listens to this will think of us and your own babies, when you hear this song. It is realy wonderful and I am glad that I have finally found it on Amazon.com. Love always with my daddy,..... Tricia

I had been a fan of Bobby Bare for a while,when evening I was in my car in 1973 when I first heard Bobby Bare sing "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe".I was so mesmerized by this song that I had to pull over and stop and listen to the whole thing.I had no idea how long the song was,but the normal C&W song lasted for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes;but this song just kept going on and on and getting better and better.I just wanted it to continue and never stop.This song is actually 8:10 minutes, and to my knowledge, there is no other song in Country Music as long.The lyrics of this song are down to earth ,rock bottom and magically create an atmosphere of a cafe,filled with the characters as they go about their lives.The verses are very short;but each conjures up lines we have all heard one time or another,and paint a picture in words,sound and feeling that is like no other song I can think of.On second thought, there is one other song somewhat like it;"Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie.
I have a stack of Bare's Albums,and to the best of my knowledge "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe" is on only this album.Also, I believe it was never released as a single;and Bare's discography doesn't list it as one either.Also Bobby Bare's Website has a large collection of videos,but likewise the song is not there either.However,all is not lost.On You Tube ,if you look under "Bobby Bare Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe" you will find a video of Bobby singing the entire song ,but sound only,and while he sings,the lyrics are displayed.This is fantastic for listening and singing along with Bare.There is also another video of a group of youth singing and play acting the song.It is almost like a High School play.
I have often wondered if ,when writing the lyrics to this song,if Shel Silverstein wrote additional verses that were not included.
As you can probsbly tell,this is one of my all-time favourite songs.
As to the rest of the album,there are another 14 songs,most listed in other reviews;and they are all with lyrics by Silverstein.
Bare has already racked up over 50 years in Country Music,and is still one of the best Singer-Songwriters in the business.
And believe it or not,he is still performing ,and on his Website you can see he has 3 concerts scheduled for February 2011.
Like I said,I have a large stack of Bare's albums and enjoy every one of them,but in all honesty ,this one is the best;and that is saying a lot when you think of all the other great songs he has given us.
I have met Bobby twice.The first time when he performed in Nova Scotia.He did a number of songs from his album "Singing In The Kitchen" and invited a bunch of kids up on the stage to sing along.I believe it was about 1975.We took a picture of Bobby signing a a copy of that album with my daughter.A year so later we saw him at Ontario Place in Toronto.We had the photo blown up poster size and held it up for him to see,amd he came over and signed it and gave both my wife an daugter a hug.That poster is still a prized possession .If you ever meet him,you
will immediately come to the conclusion that he has to be one of the nicest people in the business...and that says a lot when there are so many such people in Country Music.
If you are a fan of Bobby Bare,this is one Album you must have.

After many years looking for Bobby Bare's "Roaslie's Good Eats Cafe," I decided to check on Amazon, and I'm sooo glad they had it and I bought it! The entire album is wonderful, and well worth the price.