Streets of Bakersfield

"Streets of Bakersfield" is a 1973 song written by Homer Joy and popularized by Buck Owens. In 1988, Owens recorded a duet version with country singer Dwight Yoakam, which became one of Yoakam's first No. 1 Hot Country Singles hits.

Background

According to Homer Joy, the original songwriter, he was approached in 1972 by representatives from Buck Owens' studio in Bakersfield, California about recording a "Hank Williams Sr. soundalike-album".^[1] Joy initially refused, saying "I don't want be like Hank, I just want to be me!"^[1] Eventually, he agreed to come in and record it, on the condition that he would also get to record some of his own songs as well. After the recording, however, the studio manager told Joy that he'd forgotten that the Buckaroos (Buck Owens' band) were practicing for an upcoming tour, and that Joy would have to wait to record his songs.^[1]

Refusing to back down, Joy would show up at the studio at 8:00 every morning, only to be told that the Buckaroos were busy and that he would still have to wait.^[1] One night, Joy decided to take a walk around downtown Bakersfield, only to have the brand-new cowboy boots he'd been wearing to wear blisters all over his feet: "[I] barely made it back to the car, and on top of that, I was still upset about everything, and I went back to my hotel room and wrote "Streets of Bakersfield"".^[1]

As usual, Joy went to the studio at 8:00 the following morning, and the studio manager, out of frustration, grabbed a guitar off of the wall and gave it to Joy, saying, "Sing me one of the songs that you'd record if we could get some time to record it." As kind of an "in-your-face" gesture, Joy performed his eight-hour-old "Streets of Bakersfield".^[1] Afterward, the studio producer went into the back of the studio, brought out Buck Owens, and had Joy play it again. Owens then said to the manager, "The Buckaroos have the day off, but you call them and tell them that we're going to do a recording session on Homer this afternoon."^[1]

Buck Owens released a recording of the song in 1973, and while that version wasn't a major hit, the re-recording he did with Dwight Yoakam in 1988 (with slightly changed lyrics) reached #1 on the Billboard Country Music charts.^[1]

Content

The song details the journey of the narrator, told in first person, to Bakersfield, saying "I came here looking for something | I couldn't find anywhere else | I don't want to be nobody | Just want a chance to be myself" and "I've done a thousand miles of thumbing | And I've wore blisters on my heels | trying to find me something better | here on the streets of Bakersfield". (Both of these stanzas came from Homer Joy's experience in Bakersfield leading up to him writing the song). The chorus (originally a poke at the studio producer) says, "You don't know me but you don't like me | You say you care less how I feel | But how many of you that sit and judge me | Ever walk the streets of Bakersfield?".

The second half of the song details an incident in San Francisco where the narrator is arrested and has to spend a night in jail, presumably for vagrancy. During the night that he was incarcerated, the police throw a drunk man in the narrator's jail cell. While he was passed out, the narrator takes $15 from the drunk man, leaving him his watch and his old house key, saying "I don't like folks thinking that I'd steal | Then I thanked him as he was sleeping | and I headed out for Bakersfield" (whether or not this was something that actually happened to Joy is unknown).

Cover versions

In 1988, the song was recorded by country music artist Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens, and was the lead-off single to Yoakam's 1988 album Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room.^[2]

Music video

The music video for the Yoakam/Owens single was directed by Marcus Stevens.

Movies

Actor and comedian Vince Vaughn sang the song live with Dwight Yoakam to a live audience in Bakersfield, California on his Wild West Comedy Tour.^[3]

Chart performance

Chart (1988)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	1

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "California Songs: Homer Joy's 'Streets of Bakersfield'". The California Report. KQED-FM Public Radio. April 6, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 403.
↑ "Dwight Yoakam and Vince Vaughn". YouTube.com. 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2016-02-03.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
L.H. O'Connor (May 25, 2011). "What The Buck!". Roothog Radio. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
"California Songs: Homer Joy's 'Streets of Bakersfield'". The California Report. KQED-FM Public Radio. April 6, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.

Preceded by "Honky Tonk Moon" by Randy Travis	Billboard Hot Country Singles number-one single October 15, 1988	Succeeded by "Strong Enough to Bend" by Tanya Tucker

Dwight Yoakam singles

Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.	"Honky-Tonk Man" "Guitars, Cadillacs" "It Won't Hurt"

Hillbilly Deluxe	"Little Sister" "Little Ways" "Please, Please Baby" "Always Late with Your Kisses"

Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room	"Streets of Bakersfield" (With Buck Owens) "I Sang Dixie" "I Got You" "Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)"

Just Lookin' for a Hit	"Long White Cadillac"

If There Was a Way	"Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" "You're the One" "Nothing's Changed Here" "It Only Hurts When I Cry" "The Heart That You Own" "Send a Message to My Heart" (With Patty Loveless)

Honeymoon in Vegas Soundtrack	"Suspicious Minds"

This Time	"Ain't That Lonely Yet" "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" "Fast as You" "Try Not to Look So Pretty" "Pocket of a Clown"

Gone	"Nothing" "Gone (That'll Be Me)" "Sorry You Asked?" "Heart of Stone"

Under the Covers	"Claudette" "Baby Don't Go" (With Sheryl Crow)

A Long Way Home	"Things Change" "These Arms"

Last Chance for a Thousand Years: Dwight Yoakam's Greatest Hits from the 90's	"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" "Thinking About Leaving"

Tomorrow's Sounds Today	"What Do You Know About Love" "I Want You to Want Me" "I Was There" (With Buck Owens)

Inside Traxx 2002	"Sitting Pretty"

Population Me	"The Back of Your Hand" "The Late Great Golden State"

Blame the Vain	"Intentional Heartache" "Blame the Vain" "I Wanna Love Again"

Dwight Sings Buck	"Close Up the Honky Tonks"

TBD	"Who'll Stop the Rain"

Buck Owens

Studio albums	Buck Owens Buck Owens Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard You're for Me On the Bandstand Buck Owens Sings Tommy Collins Together Again I Don't Care I've Got a Tiger by the Tail Before You Go Roll Out the Red Carpet Dust on Mother's Bible Open Up Your Heart Your Tender Loving Care It Takes People Like You Sweet Rosie Jones

Holiday albums	Christmas with Buck Owens Christmas Shopping

Live albums	Carnegie Hall Concert In Japan!

Compilation albums	The Fabulous Country Music Sound of Buck Owens The Best of Buck Owens Best of Buck Owens, Vol. 2 21 #1 Hits: The Ultimate Collection

Notable singles	"Under Your Spell Again" "Above and Beyond" "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache)" "Foolin' Around" "Save the Last Dance for Me" "Act Naturally" "Love's Gonna Live Here" "My Heart Skips a Beat" "I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)" "I've Got a Tiger By the Tail" "Before You Go" "Only You (Can Break My Heart)" "Buckaroo" "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy" "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line" "Think of Me" "Open Up Your Heart" "Where Does the Good Times Go" "Sam's Place" "Your Tender Loving Care" "How Long Will My Baby Be Gone" "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass" "Johnny B. Goode" "Tall Dark Stranger" "Big in Vegas" "Bridge Over Troubled Water" "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" "Made in Japan"

Collaboration singles	"Love Is Strange"

Guest singles	"Streets of Bakersfield"

B-side singles	"Loose Talk" "Together Again

Related articles	Discography Capitol Records Dwight Sings Buck

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