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 Hรผsker Dรผ, 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.
Second Hand Heart
Dwight Yoakam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But memories turn black and white, at least mine do...
She said my brother, you know, he used to have this friend...
But this is now and that was then
It's better off just not to start
Than to have to watch us fall apart
All because of my second hand heart
I said if you could count up memories but only keep the best
You may not see how good they were without the rest
She said look I tried a lot
But I guess love it don't like me
Oh and by the way, all those tries?
Sure didn't come for free
So it's better off just not to start
Than to have to watch us fall apart
All because of my second hand heart
Second hand hearts
Second hand hearts
Second hand hearts
Second hand hearts
Are not just for parts
So I'll take away your sad luck baby
And you'll change mine
When hurt starts talkin' we'll say hey, ya know, we ain't got time
Then pick up all those small hopes back off the ground
'Cause after years of tears it's hard to say what's up or down
So if you will, I'll try to start
And take the chance that we might fall apart
To try and save our second hand hearts
She said when I trusted love I dreamed in color too...
The lyrics of Dwight Yoakam's song, Second Hand Heart, seems to be a conversation between two people who are hesitant to start a romantic relationship. The first stanza talks about how memories turn black and white when one's trust in love is broken. The woman shares a personal anecdote about her brother's failed friendship. The chorus then emphasizes caution, stating that it is better not to start at all than to fall apart later. The second stanza has the man empathizing with the woman, telling her that happy memories are hard to appreciate without the bad ones. The woman confesses that she has tried and failed at love, and all her attempts have come at a cost.
The song's bridge implies a mutual agreement to take a chance and help each other mend their "second hand hearts." They vow to prioritize communication and pick up the positive aspects of their past. The last line mirrors the first, tying the story together with the idea of trust and love. One interpretation of the lyrics is that the man and the woman are both victims of their past relationships, and they are trying to navigate their fears while hoping for the best. The lyrics are simple, but the themes of trust, vulnerability, and hope make it profound.
Line by Line Meaning
She said when I trusted love I dreamed in color too
She used to have faith in love and it made her optimistic for a positive future.
But memories turn black and white, at least mine do...
But her past experiences in love have caused her to become cynical and jaded. Her recollection of them is lifeless and joyless.
She said my brother, you know, he used to have this friend...
She hints at a past love story which didn't end well, and it reminds her of someone she used to know.
But this is now and that was then
She indicates that the previous event is already in the past, and it's no use trying to change it or relive it.
It's better off just not to start
It's better to avoid starting a relationship at all rather than starting and experiencing another heartbreak.
Than to have to watch us fall apart
It's better to avoid investing emotions and time into a relationship only to witness it crash and burn.
All because of my second hand heart
It's better to avoid relationships that could be harmed by her damaged emotions and past traumas.
I said if you could count up memories but only keep the best
He shares his thought that if we only remembered fond memories and if they truly captured our hearts, we would not treasure them as much without any negatives.
You may not see how good they were without the rest
Removing the pain, and hardships of the memories may not allow a person to appreciate the true beauty of the memories.
She said look I tried a lot
She confesses that she's tried to find love before.
But I guess love it don't like me
But those attempts have all ended in heartache, convincing her that love is not meant for her.
Oh and by the way, all those tries?
And she adds that not only did those attempts all end badly, but she invested a lot of herself into them.
Sure didn't come for free
It cost her dearly - emotionally and otherwise - to make the attempts.
Second hand hearts
People who have already been emotionally hurt or damaged from past relationships.
Second hand hearts
People who have already been emotionally hurt or damaged from past relationships.
Second hand hearts
People who have already been emotionally hurt or damaged from past relationships.
Second hand hearts
People who have already been emotionally hurt or damaged from past relationships.
Are not just for parts
Their emotions and experiences are not merely components for future relationships to pass around or discard.
So I'll take away your sad luck baby
Dwight is willing to help his partner overcome any past traumas.
And you'll change mine
By inspiring him to become a better and more loving person.
When hurt starts talkin' we'll say hey, ya know, we ain't got time
In the face of pain and heartache, they will do their best to move forward together rather than dwelling on negative emotions.
Then pick up all those small hopes back off the ground
They will look for the silver linings and small comforts in each other, even amidst difficult times.
'Cause after years of tears it's hard to say what's up or down
After suffering so much heartache, it can be hard to determine which direction is forward and which is backward.
So if you will, I'll try to start
Dwight is willing to take the risk to try again at love.
And take the chance that we might fall apart
Even with the best intentions, they may not succeed at love, but he's willing to take the chance.
To try and save our second hand hearts
He believes that by trying to love again, they can help each other overcome their individual traumas and heal.
Lyrics ยฉ Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DWIGHT DAVID YOAKAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nancy Gray Barrow
She said when I trusted love I dreamed in color too
But memories turn black and white, at least mine doโฆ
She said my brother, you know, he used to have this friendโฆ
But this is now and that was then
Itโs better off just not to start
Than to have to watch us fall apart
All because of my second hand heart
I said if you could count up memories but only keep the best
You may not see how good they were without the rest
She said look I tried a lot
But I guess love it donโt like me
Oh and by the way, all those tries?
Sure didnโt come for free
So itโs better off just not to start
Than to have to watch us fall apart
All because of my second hand heart
Second hand hearts
Second hand hearts
Second hand hearts
Second hand hearts
Are not just for parts
So Iโll take away your sad luck baby
And youโll change mine
When hurt starts talkinโ weโll say hey, ya know, we ainโt got time
Then pick up all those small hopes back off the ground
โCause after years of tears itโs hard to say whatโs up or down
So if you will, Iโll try to start
And take the chance that we might fall apart
To try and save our second hand hearts
She said when I trusted love I dreamed in color tooโฆ <3
randy curiel
Dwight the last one that can save country music, regards from mexico
Nate Thornton
Youโre damn right buddy greetings from America!
Rose Sallai
+randy curiel Probably you're right. Greetings from Hungary
BROTHER TRUTH
The great unique background vocals, change in tempos during the songs,, unpredictable guitar rythyms and drum beats, Dwight's richer vocals as he ages and sense of melody on these new recordings, makes this album a masterpiece. All the songs sound great.
aditi banerjee
So TRUE... Oh.. SO TRUE....
josy louya
๐๐๐
BROTHER TRUTH
The only thing that would enhance the recording would be to allow for a little more lead guitar breaks in the songs.
BROTHER TRUTH
@Barbara DeMatteisย 10-4 fellow truth warrior.
Barbara DeMatteis
@BROTHER TRUTH YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH.
Sophie Orchard
Another Great Track from Dwightโผ๏ธSounds so so ๏ธDwight as Usual.The Best Voice in the Whole Wide World โผ๏ธ๐ฌ๐ง๐ฌ๐ง๐ฌ๐ง