Yoakam was born in Pikeville, Kentucky, the son of Ruth Ann, a key-punch operator, and David Yoakam, a gas-station owner. He was raised in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Columbus's Northland High School in 1974. During his high school years, he excelled in both music and drama, regularly securing the lead role in school plays, such as "Charlie" in a stage version of Flowers for Algernon, honing his skills under the guidance of teacher-mentors Jerry McAfee (music) and Charles Lewis (drama). Outside of school, Yoakam sang and played guitar with local garage bands, and entertained his friends and classmates with his impersonations, such as Richard Nixon, who, at the time, was heavily embroiled in the Watergate controversy.
Yoakam briefly attended Ohio State University, but dropped out and moved to Nashville in 1977 with the intent of becoming a recording artist. Later on, Ohio Valley University in Parkersburg, West Virginia awarded and presented Dwight with an honorary doctorate degree on May 7, 2005.
When he began his career, Nashville was oriented toward pop "urban cowboy" music, and Yoakam's brand of hip honky tonk music was not considered marketable.
Not making much headway in Nashville, Yoakam moved to Los Angeles and worked towards bringing his particular brand of new Honky Tonk or "Hillbilly" music (as he called it) forward into the 1980s. Writing all his own songs, and continuing to perform mostly outside traditional country music channels, Yoakam did many shows in rock and punk rock clubs around Los Angeles, playing with roots rock or punk rock acts like The Blasters (Yoakam scored a small video hit with his version of their song "Long White Cadillac"), Los Lobos, and X. This helped him diversify his audience beyond the typical country music fans, and his authentic, groundbreaking music is often credited with rock audiences accepting country music.
Yoakam's recording debut was the self-financed EP Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. on independent label Oak Records produced by lead-guitarist Pete Anderson; this was later re-released by Reprise records, with several additional tracks, as his major-label debut LP, 1986's Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.. It launched his career. "Honky Tonk Man", a remake of the Johnny Horton song, and "Guitars, Cadillacs" were hit singles. His stylish video "Honky Tonk Man" was the first country music video ever played on MTV. The follow-up LP, Hillbilly Deluxe, was just as successful. His third LP, Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room, included his first No. 1, a duet with his musical idol, Buck Owens, on "Streets of Bakersfield". 1990's If There Was a Way was another best-seller.
Yoakam's song "Readin', Rightin', Route 23" pays tribute to his childhood move from Kentucky, and is named after a local expression describing the route that rural Kentuckians took to find a job outside of the coal mines. (U.S. Route 23 runs north from Kentucky through Columbus and Toledo, Ohio and through the automotive centers of Michigan.) Rather than the standard line that their elementary schools taught "the three Rs" of "Readin', 'Ritin', and 'Rithmetic", Kentuckians used to say that the three Rs they learned were "Readin', 'Ritin, and Route 23 North".
Johnny Cash once cited Yoakam as his favorite country singer. Chris Isaak called him as good a songwriter that ever put a pen to paper. Time Magazine dubbed Yoakam "A Renaissance Man" and Vanity Fair declared that "Yoakam strides the divide between rock's lust and country's lament." Along with his bluegrass and honky-tonk roots, Yoakam has written or covered many Elvis Presley-style rockabilly songs, including his covers of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" in 1999 and Presley's "Suspicious Minds" in 1992. He recorded a cover of The Clash's "Train in Vain" in 1997, a cover of the Grateful Dead song "Truckin'", as well as Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me". Yoakam has never been associated only with Country music; on many early tours, he played with Hardcore Punk bands like Hüsker Dü, and played many shows around Los Angeles with Roots/Punk/Rock & Roll acts. His middle-period-to-later records saw him branching out to different styles, covering Rock & Roll, Punk, 1960's, Blues-based "Boogie" like ZZ Top, and writing more adventurous songs like "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere". In 2003, he provided background vocals on Warren Zevon's last album The Wind.
In the 21st century, Yoakam released dwightyoakamacoustic.net, an album featuring solo acoustic versions of many of his hits; left his major label and started his own label.
2005 saw the release of Yoakam's well-reviewed album Blame the Vain, on New West Records. Yoakam also released an album dedicated to Buck Owens, Dwight Sings Buck, on October 23, 2007. His duet with Michelle Branch, a song titled "Long Goodbye", was released as a free download on Branch's official website in early 2011.
In July 2011, Yoakam re-signed with Warner Bros. Nashville and announced plans to release a new album. 3 Pears was released on September 18, 2012 with twelve new tracks. The album, produced by Yoakam, includes collaborations with Kid Rock, Beck, and Ashley Monroe. 3 Pears was released to resounding critical acclaim and earned Yoakam the highest-charting debut of his career on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Country Albums charts. 3 Pears reached #1 on the Americana Radio chart on October 29, 2012 and went on to break the 2012 record for most weeks at #1 on Americana Radio.[4] By the end of 2012, the album was named on annual best of lists by NPR, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, AOL's The Boot, Entertainment Weekly, The Village Voice, and Rhapsody, and has been included in more critic's "best of 2012" lists than any other artist in the country genre.
Yoakam won the Grammy Award for "Best Male Country Vocal Performance" in 1993 for the song "Ain't That Lonely Yet". He was also named "Artist of the Year" by CMT Europe in 1993 and given the International Touring Artist Award by CMA in 2007.
In 2011, Yoakam received the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award for his trailblazing achievements in the country music genre.
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Dwight Yoakam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This thing called love, I must get round to it
I ain't ready
Crazy little thing called love
This thing (this thing)
Called love (called love)
It cries (like a baby)
It swings (woo woo)
It jives (woo woo)
It shakes all over like a jelly fish
I kinda like it
Crazy little thing called love
There goes my baby
She knows how to rock 'n' roll
She drives me crazy
She gives me hot and cold fever
Then she leaves me in a cool cool sweat
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip
And get on my track's
Take a back seat, hitch-hike
And take a long ride on my motorbike
Until I'm ready
Crazy little thing called love
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip
And get on my track's
Take a back seat (ah hum), hitch-hike (ah hum)
And take a long ride on my motorbike
Until I'm ready (ready Freddie)
Crazy little thing called love
This thing called love, I just can't handle it
This thing called love, I must get round to it
I ain't ready
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Crazy little thing called love
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Dwight Yoakam's rendition of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a fun and upbeat twist on the classic Queen song. At its core, the song discusses the power and allure of love. Yoakam sings about how he struggles to handle the intensity of love and needs to get around to dealing with it. He describes love as a force that cries like a baby, swings and jives, and shakes all over like a jellyfish. Despite the chaos that love brings, Yoakam admits that he likes it and finds it crazy.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Crazy little thing called love" several times, emphasizing the mystifying and unpredictable nature of love. Yoakam then describes a woman who drives him crazy with her ability to rock and roll. She gives him hot and cold fever, leaving him in a cool sweat. Yoakam realizes that he needs to "be cool, relax, get hip, and get on [his] tracks" until he's ready to handle the power of love.
Overall, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a catchy and entertaining song that delves into the unpredictability and allure of love. It's a lighthearted take on a common theme in music and provides an interesting perspective on the subject.
Line by Line Meaning
This thing (this thing)
Love is being referred to as this thing.
Called love (called love)
Love is referred to as a thing called love.
It cries (like a baby)
Love is being described as crying like a baby.
In a cradle all night
Love stays with a person throughout the night.
It swings (woo woo)
Love is associated with swinging, as in dancing.
It jives (woo woo)
Love goes hand in hand with jiving, informing dance moves or swift movements in general.
It shakes all over like a jelly fish
Love is being portrayed as shaking one to the core like jelly.
I kinda like it
The singer enjoys the feeling of love.
Crazy little thing called love
Love is an exciting, frightening, and overwhelming experience that defies explanation.
There goes my baby
The singer is referring to his lover/love interest.
She knows how to rock 'n' roll
The singer enjoys the fact that his lover knows how to have a good time and can dance.
She drives me crazy
The singer is being driven crazy with love and lust.
She gives me hot and cold fever
The singer's lover makes him feel different things—desire, passion, cold sweat, and fever.
Then she leaves me in a cool cool sweat
The singer's lover makes him feel great and nervous at the same time, leading to a cold sweat when she leaves.
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip
The singer has to calm down, get with the times, and appear contemporary to keep up with his lover.
And get on my track's
The singer has to focus on his path and not get distracted from it.
Take a back seat (ah hum), hitch-hike (ah hum)
The singer might go on a long journey, hitchhiking his way past a lost love.
Until I'm ready (ready Freddie)
The singer is not currently ready to experience the crazy rush of being in love again, and needs some time to cool off and get ready mentally.
Crazy little thing called love
Love is an unpredictable, potent, and exciting experience that defies logic and makes us do things we wouldn't ordinarily do.
This thing called love, I just can't handle it
The singer is overwhelmed and can't deal with the intensity and unpredictability of love.
This thing called love, I must get round to it
The singer knows love is something one must experience in their life and they can't keep putting it off.
I ain't ready
The singer isn't ready to deal with the craziness and unpredictability that comes with love.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
A vocalization of the feeling of being overwhelmed with emotion.
Crazy little thing called love
The title line of the song is emphasizing again how love is exciting, overwhelming, and unpredictable.
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Repeated for emphasis, love is unpredictable and one never knows what will come next.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Freddie Mercury
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jaysharp789
The young generation needs to discover Dwight Yoakam. He is truly one of the greatest singers and performers ever
@patrickc3419
Agreed 💯.
Would love to see him live in concert.
@dwightmichaels5024
And that guitar solo!! OMG!!!
@wesleyfann9376
I’m 17 and know and love every song, none of my friends like his songs tho no matter how hard I try.
@jaysharp789
@@wesleyfann9376 Most of the young crowd is used to today's pop country. Dwight is real country. That's awesome that you're such a big fan. You're probably an old soul, like me
@evelynmulvaney173
Dwight is in a class of his own. My No. I. Such a talented man. Top actor too. Luv Luv him. 🇮🇪💚🍀👍
@nancychamberlin6520
Dwight is fantastic. A true country singer who can take any song and make it his own.
@enfieldjohn101
Queen is amazing, but I love Dwight's version of this song. He makes it his own without mangling it. Great example of how to do a cover of a song.
@datrappa666
All he had to do was sing in his voice and it was perfect
@vichy7661
@Timothy Mckee totally agree, Stray Cats-Rock -A-Billy