April 28, 2026

Bob Seeger ~ Still the Same

  ~     
     
     
In April of 1978 Bob Seeger released one of my favorite songs by him, Still the Same. Another favorite by him is, Turn the Page; more on that song another time.    
     
Still the Same hit No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and was an international hit. The song was covered by Bonnie Guitar on her 1987 album What Can I Say, a country version hit in 1989, reaching No. 79 on the Billboard US Country chart.     
 
Still the Same has been praised for the sensational piano work by Seeger but for me, the sublime vocal harmonies by Venetta Fields, Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews are what takes it completely to the moon! There is a great video of a performance in 1978 with lyrics (link below).   
 
Still the Same was produced by Punch Andrews who produced many albums by Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band and served as his manager for over fifty years. Andrews also managed Grand Funk Railroad during the mid-1990s.     
 
Seger told Bob Costas about the type of person in this song: "They're just very charismatic, but they have tremendous faults, but part of the appeal is the charisma. You overlook everything because of the charisma. That's a gift and a curse." He framed the lyrics as an honest appraisal of a person who kept “being the same”; about someone who is probably a little egotistical, a little egocentric, a little aloof and a living-on-the-edge kind of person but definitely lovable.         
     
     
Still the Same Lyrics

[Verse 1]
You always won every time you placed a bet
You're still damn good, no one's gotten to you yet
Every time they were sure they had you caught
You were quicker than they thought
You'd just turn your back and walk

[Verse 2]
You always said the cards would never do you wrong
The trick, you said, was never play the game too long
A gambler's share, the only risk that you would take
The only loss you could forsake
The only bluff you couldn't fake

[Chorus]
And you're still the same
I caught up with you yesterday
(Still the same, still the same)
Moving game to game
No one standing in your way
Turning on the charm
Long enough to get you by
(Still the same, still the same)
You're still the same
You still aim high
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[Verse 3]
(Still the same, still the same)
(Still the same, still the same)
There you stood, everybody watched you play
I just turned and walked away   a
I had nothing left to say

[Outro]
'Cause you're still the same (Still the same)
(Baby, babe, you're still the same)
You're still the same (Still the same)
(Baby, babe, you're still the same)
Moving game to game (Still the same)
(Baby, babe, you're still the same)
Some things never change (Still the same)
(Baby, babe, you're still the same)
Oh, you're still the same (Still the same)
(Baby, babe, you're still the same)
Still the same (Still the same)
(Baby, babe, you're still the same)

     
     
Viewfinder links:       
        
Bonnie Guitar        
Venetta Fields        
Grand Funk Railroad        
Clydie King      
Sherlie Matthews          
Bob Seeger         
      
Net links:       
        
American Song Writer ~ Meaning Behind Bob Seger’s Still The Same     
SongFacts ~ Still the Same         
Ultimate Classic Rock ~ Still the Same         
      
YouTube links:       
        
Bonnie Guitar ~ Still the Same        
Bob Seeger ~ 
       Still the Same         
       Still the Same (live)        
        
        
         
Dedicated to Tom
         
        
        
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, April 28, 2026         
        


















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