Gather 'round cats and I'll tell you a story 'bout
how to become an all-American Boy. Just buy you a
guitar and put it in tune and you'll be a rockin
and a rollin soon. Impressin the girls, hittin hot
licks, and all that jazz. I bought me a guitar
about a year ago and I Learned how to play it in a
day or so. And all around town it was well
understood that I was knocking 'em out like Johnny
B. Goode. Hot licks, showing off, ah, number one.
Well I practiced all day and up into the night, My
papa's hair was a gettin kinda white. He didn't
dig that,ah, rock and roll. He said, "You can
stay boy, but that's gotta go." He's a
square; just didn't dig me at all. So I packed my
guitar, picks and all, and I said farewll to my
poor old pa. I split for Memphis where they say
'you all' And them swinging cats are a havin a
ball. Yeah, they love me down there, guitar picks
and all. I was rocking and bopping and getting all
the breaks, And the girls all said that I had what
it takes, When up steps a man with a big cigar. He
said. "Come here, kid. I'm gonna make you a
star." Put you on "Bandstand', buy you a
cadillac. Sign here, kid." So I signed my
name and became a star, having a ball with my
guitar. Driving a big, long cadillac. And fighting
the girls off'n my back. But they just keep a
comin, screaming, they love it. So I picked my
guitar with a great big grin And the money just
kept on rollin in. And then one day my Uncle Sam
said (thump, thump, thump) "here I am! Uncle
Sam needs you, boy. Gimme that guitar. Take this
rifle. Yeahhhh - gonna cut your hair off... .
---------------
A letter from Don Powell
[ Find more Lyrics at www.mp3lyrics.org/wP4 ]
Most of your lyrics are on the money - I merely
cleared up a few that you apparently couldn't
distinguish from the record. I backed Bobby with
guitar on the original cut for All American Boy. I
was playing in R&R band in Dayton, Ohio when
one night Bobby and his manager showed up. They
had a few beers, introduced themselves on a break
and asked if we would be interested in backing
Bobby on a novelty song about Elvis being drafted
into the army. We practiced the song the next day,
a Sunday, drove to Cincinatti on Monday, and cut
the record in King Studios there. The third try
was a take and became the song which became a hit.
The band was given the option of taking a
percentage of record sales, assuming it could be
marketed and did well; or we could receive
'session fee', which was about $35.00/person.
without exception the band members (all five of
us) took the $35.00. You can imagine our surprise
(and delight) to hear the song being played on the
radio all over Ohio and the whole midwest.
The reason for the confusion re Bobby's name not
appearing on the Fraternity label, who bought
pressing and distribution rights, was that two
weeks prior to the recording, Bobby, ironically,
had been drafted and knew that he would not be
able to promote the song by touring or personal
appearances. His best friend, Bill Parsons, was
allowed to assume Bobby's role, and Bill actually
did record the flip side of AAB with a jazzed up
version of Rubber Dolly. When the record hit,
Bobby was in boot camp in the army, and I and the
band (now called the "All American
Boys") went on tour of the midwest with Bill
Parsons, playing at small to medium venues in
clubs and auditoriums from Detroit to St. Louis.
But it could not be pulled off. Bill Parsons was
no Bobby Bare and the we soon faded back into
obscurity, playing at neighborhood bars in Dayton,
Ohio. Bobby was a true-born, gifted singer and
songwriter with the magic ability to be at one
with an audience. He was truly one of a kind.
Don Powell (919) 280-6878 e-mail
artvark@visionet.net I will be happy to share any
experiences and anecdotes re Bobby with you should
you desire. DGP |