Bobby Angel’s 2-song set with lots of story telling
The problem? After a long search he gave up and settled for the canal. Not to worry: The campfire lit easily enough and the strings of his guitar were tuned just as well. Bobby Angel’s 2-song set includes (1) One More Melaleuca and (2) David Moody Blues. But the true focus of this campfire concert is the mystery and history (and artist recommended future) of the road, the canal, the river and the old railroad. Bobby Angel goes deep history mode and doesn’t turn back, nor does the crackle of the campfire disappoint.
After years of obscurity at small campfires, Bobby Angel is moving up in the world and scheduled to perform LIVE “within walking distance” (granted, it’s a long walk) from the very same arena where Bob Dylan and many other luminaries played. Next step: Getting inside the arena. Bobby Angel’s 4-song set near the coffee shop of Florida Gulf Coast University will feature (1) Ballad of a Florida Panther, (2) Ugliest Forest, (3) Preserved and (4) Higher Moral Ground, and who knows – maybe a surprise song … and lots of storytelling in between. Or at least that’s the plan. First lets see if I can remember the songs, and how well I can pull off the campfire vibe at a daytime event.
Such was the case with Bobby Angel at this campfire podcast. He thought he was setting up camp at the Barron River only to find out, or start to develop a hunch, that he was actually along the banks of the modern-day canal. Not that it stopped the singer/songwriter from having a quality campfire. His 2-song set includes (1) One More Melaleuca for the Road and (2) David Moody Blues, plus campfire deep dive into the history and many mysteries of the road, the river, the old railroad grade and the canal.
Not that I’m a folk star yet (although I can play one on the internet). A singer/songwriter? Maybe. Or I would say definitely so. After twenty years of on-and-off playing, and really only showing up unpaid gigs, why and how I ended up putting together a pretty decent website is anyone’s guess. Stranger still: I’m not even halfway through recording the songs I’ve written and performed over the years. Way back when, when I first got my start, there was a coworker who was enthusiastic as he was adamant: “We have to get all your songs on CD.” That CD never happened, but 15 years later the website just might. What I love about the website is it makes me be a finisher. After I record a song I add in an interview, the lyrics and other tidbits. All the songs were of course farewells, written for people moving on the greener pastures of a new job or retirement. Since them I’ve written a range of other songs, too. My best? Ballad of a Florida Panther seems to be a fan favorite.
As for the Bobby Angel effect, and what it is? I think I noticed it on the first song I played in front of anybody, or at least at a farewell party. It was Marsha. After the song I turned to her and she was sobbing in tears, and not because my song was bad. They were tears of joy. In a song Bobby Angel could touch someone in a way I could never approach in work-a-day real life. And so the Bobby Angel effect was born. Over twenty years later I’m still trying to figure it out.
And really, you should never strive for perfection for the reason the pursuit is a fractal and will continually leave you feeling let down. Campfires are the perfect antidote. Or rather, not perfect — I mean pretty darn good salve for whatever ails you. Around the campfire that more than suffices. This one-song campfire includes plenty of talking and one practice session of Return of the Lone Ranger.
Of the cowboy that tries to ride off in all directions?
Bobby Angel’s ode to moving one
The short answer is he fall is his rear end. And maybe the moral of the story is you can only get somewhere one place at a time. On the other hand I get it — if you’re a cowboy like me you have a lot of things to do and people to see. And the truth is sometimes you don’t know what direction to go first. The secret to my success, if you can call it that, is that I do one thing at a time. The caveat is that I don’t always do them as well as they should be.
Take for example my contact form for this website. If anybody out there has been trying to contact me, you’re inquiry has been getting lost in outer space somewhere, or wherever the internet sends things that aren’t correctly addressed. I’m assuming that’s Jupiter, or maybe a distant star. Whatever the case and wherever those messages have gone, I’ve officially gone in and fixed it so your inquiry goes to me. So don’t lose faith if I haven’t replied back — Please feel free to reach out and contact me again. This time, I promise, I’ll respond back. And yes, I can already guess at your question: How do you get tickets for my next campfire event? Someday I’ll get a manager and an event coordinator and a bunch of other staff. But in the meanwhile look for me to handle all the tasks. That includes writing the songs, maintaining the website, and answering fan mail.
Who knew being a folk star required wearing so many hats?
Lyrics and Music by Bobby Angel, his pre-drainage Everglades Song, Spring 2021
Let’s pretend it never happened x3 We’ll go there in our dreams The Lake is bursting at its seams Going south in a skiff with Hugh Willoughby Through a wall of sawgrass thick as can be Until at the edge finally we break free Into a maze of braids an unending freshwater sea On my face the good feel of a sunny breeze And in the distance tiny islands of trees Below pumping up a subterranean freshet Teeming with fish, alligators and flocks of egrets And then we get swept west into the Big Cypress Towering trees all around like looking up at a cliff An ivorybilled woodpecker landing on a branch Underneath the shaded grove with many orchids And finally to the mangroves where saltwater I sniff When around turns Hugh to suddenly interrupt To say nothing is real it’s time to wake up
Let’s pretend it never happened x3 We’ll go there in our dreams A wanted poster on the wall offering a big reward Wanted dead or alive, the new outlaw An scourge to paradise, it’s only flaw And so began the hunt for water Disston with his dredge he blew up the falls And tore into her marsh with his iron claws To drain it away at any cost With no concern or care for what might be lost Or anything other than greed might be served Turn the Garden of Eden into a trucking farm Nature would succumb and soon enough learn Draining it so hard it all started to burn The flame and the smoke filling sky at every turn Until we came to a ghostly face filling the air It was Disston saying welcome to my nightmare
Listen to the song and interview (after song)
Let’s pretend it never happened x3 We’ll go there in our dreams First came the waves and then came the storm Awakening the Lake and causing it to roar Sending its water over the levee in a big waterfall Flooding many people across the southern shore A nation aimed at settling the score By defeating water and declaring war And so they sent in the the Army Corp To box it in this time for sure Control the water with concrete doors So when it rains it no longer pours Pave over the coast with more and more Until there’s nothing left to do just stay indoors Nature left hanging on life support As tourists click their drinks in a big beach resort That’s when I close my eyes and I hear a shout It’s Hugh on his skiff telling me its time to go back out
Let’s pretend it never happened x3 We’ll go there in our dreams First thing we did was rip out the gates And let the water flow back to its natural state And slowly start to fill back the lake And overflow back into glades Forming new channels in the shape of a maze With all the animals returning as if to give praise After losing every battle turning a new page Welcoming in a new geologic age The clouds formed up in the sky Sending new water down from up high New springs forming down below So many new places for the water to go How did we even do it, we didn’t know Other than it was an incredible show We sat and watched content as could be Nature completely restored a sanctuary When something startled me and I opened my eyes A dim light in the distance a new sunrise
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Pretend It Never Happened is the opening song (on Side A) of Bobby Angel’s album Listen to Big Cypress Bound (2022)
🔥Campfire Trivia
What music genre is Bobby Angel generally known for?
Bobby Angel's musical inspiration is rooted in the trees and the natural world around him. His simple acoustic guitar approach, usually playing without a microphone and primarily singing to the squirrels is the hallmark of his craft. His songs are inspired form and intended to inspire people about nature.
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