Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Guitars Cadillacs
Dwight Yoakam Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Girl you taught me how to hurt real bad and cry myself to sleep
You showed me how this town can shatter dreams
Another lesson about a naive fool that came to Babylon
And found out that the pie don't taste so sweet

Now it's guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Lonely, lonely streets that I call home
Yeah my guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Is the only thing that keeps me hanging on

There ain't no glamour in this tinseled land of lost and wasted lives
And painful scars are all that's left of me
Oh but thank you girl for teaching me brand new ways to be cruel
If I can find my mind now, I guess I'll just leave

And it's guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Lonely, lonely streets that I call home
Yeah my guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Is the only thing that keeps me hanging on

Oh it's guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Lonely, lonely streets that I call home
Yeah my guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Is the only thing that keeps me hanging on

It's the only thing that keeps me hanging on
It's the only thing that keeps me hanging on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dwight Yoakam's "Guitars Cadillacs" reveal a sense of disillusionment and heartbreak that arises from the singer's encounter with the harsh realities of life in the city. In the opening lines, he acknowledges that the girl he once loved has taught him how to feel immense pain and to cry himself to sleep. He goes on to state that the town they live in shatters dreams, thereby demonstrating a loss of faith in the notion of hope and possibility.


The chorus reveals that in the face of such despair, music is the only thing that keeps him going. Yoakam repeats the phrase "guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music" several times, indicating that these are symbols of a simpler, happier time, perhaps in his childhood or in his hometown. The notion of "lonely streets" becomes a motif, underscoring the sense of isolation and disconnection that he feels from the world around him.


The final verse is the most bitter, as the singer expresses his gratitude for the girl who has taught him new ways to be cruel, indicating a sense of resentment and anger towards her. However, he also acknowledges that he needs to leave the city and find his mind, suggesting that he still possesses a desire for growth and self-improvement. Overall, the lyrics of "Guitars Cadillacs" reveal the heartache and despair that arise from a disillusioned encounter with urban life, and the need for music as a form of solace and escapism.


Line by Line Meaning

Girl you taught me how to hurt real bad and cry myself to sleep
You were the one who showed me how deeply and emotionally painful life can be, which has left me feeling lost and alone


You showed me how this town can shatter dreams
You opened my eyes to the harsh reality that the place we call home is not a place where dreams can come true


Another lesson about a naive fool that came to Babylon
I was foolish to have come to this place looking for something that I thought I could find here


And found out that the pie don't taste so sweet
I discovered that even though I came here for something sweet and satisfying, all I found was disappointment and disillusionment


Now it's guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
My only source of comfort and joy in this place is through the music I make and the car I drive


Lonely, lonely streets that I call home
I am in a place where I feel isolated and alone, wandering the streets without any sense of belonging


There ain't no glamour in this tinseled land of lost and wasted lives
The glitz and glam of this place is just a facade, covering up the harsh realities of the people who live here


And painful scars are all that's left of me
The emotional wounds I have suffered have left me scarred, and those scars are the only thing I have left to show for my time here


Oh but thank you girl for teaching me brand new ways to be cruel
Despite the pain, I am grateful to you for showing me how to be strong and unyielding in the face of adversity


If I can find my mind now, I guess I'll just leave
If I can regain my sense of self and find my way out of this place, I will go and leave this town behind


It's the only thing that keeps me hanging on
My love for music and the comfort it brings is the only thing that keeps me going and helps me survive in this harsh and unforgiving place




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Dwight David Yoakam

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@archangele1

I generally don't like country music, especially the newer stuff. But the first
time I heard Dwight Yoakam I had to buy his CD with this song on it.
I never heard of him when I first heard this but when someone told me his name
it was easy to remember since Dwight is my middle name..
He has a wide variety of songs from fast toe tappers
like this one or sad ballads like the one I Sang Dixie
which really hit home with me since I lost a child hood best friend
several years ago who loved the South. I also like
certain country music especially if it has a violin in it since
I play violin and bass.



@joshuabrooks4907

Dwight racked up a lot of hits between 1986 and 2000. I mean...
1. Guitars, Cadillacs
2. Honky tonk man
3. Streets of Bakersfield
4. Long white Cadillac
5. Fast as you
6. Ain't that lonely yet
7. Gone
8. Claudette
9. A thousand miles from nowhere
10. The back of your hand
11. Turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
12. Always late with your kisses
13. Suspicious minds
14. Little sister
15. Little ways
16. Pocket of a clown.....
Help me out here folks....



All comments from YouTube:

@Insignificatos

''I WANT YOUR CLOTHES, YOUR BOOTS AND YOUR MOTORCYCLE''

@Shiloh715

And that Winchester Lever Action Shotgun

@crushnkill

You forgot to say please...

@Surgicalshred

That's why I'm here, lol

@CheJoffre

Lol

@lyndahobby2413

And when you make as much money as he did on this song …..then you can!

112 More Replies...

@ryno411j9

Not even a country fan but watching T2 so many times. I’ve grown to love this song

@garysimmons1117

Song is in Terminator Dark Fate too.

@kimcrews1721

Just saw him 2 days ago at boots in the park in Bakersfield. He sounds even better than before. An awesome show.

@canadiansoviet

T2 made me a country fan

More Comments

More Versions