Introduced on the 1968 RIAA Certified Gold album Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" was issued as the follow-up single to the double-sided hit "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls"/ "I Say a Little Prayer" in April 1968 and became Warwick's third consecutive Top Ten song, punctuating the most successful period of Warwick's recording career.
The song became Warwick's biggest international hit peaking at #8 in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. The tune charted in France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and many other countries as well. The flip-side of the single, "Let Me Be Lonely," also penned by Bacharach/David, charted in the Billboard Hot 100 as well and became one of many double-sided hits for Warwick.
The track, featuring Gary Chester on bass drum, was the last Dionne Warwick single to be recorded at New York City's Bell Studios. The tune was engineered by Ed Smith who devised the famous introduction to the tune by directly attaching a mike to the head of Chester's bass drum.
Burt Bacharach wrote the music for the song before Hal David wrote its lyrics, which give narrative voice to a native of the northern California city of San Jose who, having failed to break into the entertainment field in Los Angeles, is set to return to her hometown. David had a special interest in San Jose, having been stationed there while in the navy.
Dionne Warwick advised Jet in May 2002 that winning her first Grammy Award for "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" – the Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Female – was the overall highlight of her career. Nevertheless the singer said of "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" in a May 1983 interview with Ebony: "It's a dumb song and I didn't want to sing it. But it was a hit, just like her recent Top Ten hit 'Heartbreaker' is. I'm happy these songs were successful, but that still doesn't change my opinion about them." The song remains one of Warwick's most popular numbers, and is included in almost every concert she performs.
Re-recorded by Dionne Warwick as a salsa-flavored collaboration with Celia Cruz and the Pete Escovedo Orchestra for her 1998 album Dionne Sings Dionne.
Do You Know the Way to San Jose
Dionne Warwick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been away so long. I may go wrong and lose my way
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose
L.A. is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down and buy a car
In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
And all the stars that never were
Are parking cars and pumping gas
You can really breathe in San Jose
They've got a lot of space. There'll be a place where I can stay
I was born and raised in San Jose
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose
Fame and fortune is a magnet
It can pull you far away from home
With a dream in your heart you're never alone
Dreams turn into dust and blow away
And there you are without a friend
You pack your car and ride away
I've got lots of friends in San Jose
Do you know the way to San Jose?
L.A. is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down and buy a car
In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
Weeks turn into years. How quick they pass
And all the stars that never were
Are parking cars and pumping gas
I've got lots of friends in San Jose
Do you know the way to San Jose?
Can't wait to get back to San Jose
In "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" Dionne Warwick sings about the disillusionment of fame and fortune in Los Angeles and the desire to return to her hometown of San Jose, California. Throughout the song, Warwick reminisces about her roots and the simple life that she had before success. She acknowledges the transitory nature of life in LA, where dreams can turn into ashes and opportunities dry up as quickly as they come. The imagery of parking cars and pumping gasoline is used to contrast the superficial allure of fame with the grounded reality of working-class life.
The song fits into the overarching theme of homesickness and nostalgia that has been present in many other songs that Warwick sang in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It speaks to the universal human desire for a sense of place and belonging, regardless of how far one might travel from home. In its essence, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" is a poignant reminder that, as much as we may search for success and happiness elsewhere, there is nothing quite like the comfort and familiarity of our hometowns.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know the way to San Jose?
Asking if the listener knows the directions to San Jose.
I've been away so long. I may go wrong and lose my way
Been away from home for so long that there is a possibility of getting lost.
Do you know the way to San Jose?
Asking again if the listener knows the way to San Jose.
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose
Returning home to find inner peace and relaxation.
L.A. is a great big freeway
Los Angeles is famous for its freeway system.
Put a hundred down and buy a car
It is easy to buy a car in Los Angeles with just a small deposit.
In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
It is possible to become famous in Los Angeles quickly.
Weeks turn into years. How quick they pass
Time seems to go by quickly in Los Angeles.
And all the stars that never were
Are parking cars and pumping gas
Many people who hoped to become famous end up working low-paying jobs instead.
You can really breathe in San Jose
San Jose is a peaceful and relaxing city where it is easy to breathe.
They've got a lot of space. There'll be a place where I can stay
San Jose has plenty of space and housing options.
I was born and raised in San Jose
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose
The singer was born and raised in San Jose and wants to return home to find inner peace.
Fame and fortune is a magnet
It can pull you far away from home
Being famous and wealthy can draw a person away from their hometown.
With a dream in your heart you're never alone
Dreams turn into dust and blow away
Having a dream can make a person feel less alone, but dreams can also fade away.
And there you are without a friend
You pack your car and ride away
Without friends, a person may decide to leave the city and start over somewhere else.
I've got lots of friends in San Jose
Do you know the way to San Jose?
The singer has many friends in San Jose and is asking the listener once again if they know the way to the city.
L.A. is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down and buy a car
In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
Weeks turn into years. How quick they pass
And all the stars that never were
Are parking cars and pumping gas
Repeating the fact that Los Angeles is a city of dreams that often does not come to fruition.
I've got lots of friends in San Jose
Do you know the way to San Jose?
Can't wait to get back to San Jose
Reiterating that the singer has many friends in San Jose and is excited to return home.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Hal David, Burt Bacharach, Burt F. Bacharach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gdmofo
I'm 63 years old in 2024 I remember hearing this on the radio when I was a kid growing up such happy times
@BikeVermont71
Can you believe it, I was a 15 y/o white boy buying Dionne Warwick albums in the 60s. I still love her.
@brittanib242
Great taste👌❤
@rl2552
Too bad you didn’t hook up with my mom who was exactly the same age because then you would have had a kid who wasn’t me bc I suck
@peterGu895
R L ???
@Sunshine-hb3pl
@@rl2552 wtfffff
@paulk9985
I can believe it. Why would you have to ask? You are not alone. There are MANY MANY of us out there. Classics live forever.
@OCEANSIDEGANGBUSTER
I lived in San Jose when this song came out. I recall being 11 years old at night in the car with my mom. Headlights flashing and rain falling as this song played. It was a trip.
@doctorhoffman4550
Me too! Lived by the foothills.
@tatakainokaizen7140
This is simply amazing. Light. Breezy. Catchy. Puts a smile on your face
what more can you ask for?