Bartender Blues: A Review

Bartender Blues is a song written by James Taylor in 1978. It is a sad song and on my BEST PLAYLIST EVER. Additionally, it’s of the musical genre NEW AMERICANA. Before even there was such a thing! However, Bartender Blues is the epitome of NEW AMERICANA because it blends Folk, Country, and Blues (obviously). The song checks all the boxes–introspective lyrics and acoustic musically, about the American experience.

I used to be a bartender. From 1972 t0 1986 and again from 1990 to 1995. The song nails it, except for me, I liked it. Let’s get into it.

The Lyrics:

Now I’m just a bartender, and I don’t like my work

But I don’t mind the money at all

I’ve seen lots of sad faces and lots of bad cases

Of folks with their backs to the wall

But I need four walls around me to hold my life

To keep me from going astray

And a honky tonk angel to hold me tight

To keep me from slipping away

I can light up your smokes, I can laugh at your jokes

I can watch you fall down on your knees

I can close down this bar, I can gas up my car

And I can pack up and mail in my keys

(chorus)

Now the smoke fills the air in this honky tonk bar

and I’m thinkin’ ’bout where I’d rather be

But I burned all my bridges and sunk all my ships

Now I’m stranded at the edge of the sea

(chorus)

My Analysis.

As I said, I used to be a bartender and the essence of the song is so true. It was then and is now. Which goes against much of current trends in politics and psychology.

People go to bars and drink seeking relief from sad lives and circumstance. The bartender sees it all, because as my friend Dr. Harvey Milkman wrote: The bar is a “Psychiatric Tavern”.

Moreover, we all need (most of us) the mythical angel to hold us tight, and four walls around us to keep from going astray. Said another way, to meet our basic needs of love and belongingness, safety and security. Furthermore, a sense of purpose lest we sail off into the abyss.

Today, those basic needs seem out of reach for so many. Maybe even more so than when Mr. Taylor wrote the song.

In Conclusion

I’ll say: I love this song! Then and now. In fact, I’ll cue it up soon for Happy Hour Friday, my favorite time of the week.

Have you heard it? Do you like it? What are your favorite musical genres?

And smile; but don’t drink too much. 🙂

Cheers.