Clark was born in Monahans, Texas and eventually settled in Nashville, where he helped create the progressive country and outlaw country genres. His songs "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting for a Train" that helped launch his career were covered by numerous performers.
He was an accomplished luthier and often played his own guitars. He achieved success as a songwriter with Jerry Jeff Walker’s recordings of "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting For A Train". Artists such as Johnny Cash, David Allan Coe, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Brad Paisley, John Denver, Alan Jackson, Rodney Crowell, The Highwaymen, and Kenny Chesney have recorded Clark’s songs. Emmylou Harris has accompanied him on several recordings, particularly his own version of "Desperados Waiting For A Train" on his first album, Old No. 1, released in 1975. Clark is frequently referred to as "The Fifth Highwayman".
Clark has been a mentor to such other singers as Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell. He organized Earle's first job as a writer in Nashville. In the 1970s, the Clarks' home in Nashville was an open house for songwriters and musicians and it features in the documentary Heartworn Highways, an evocation of the songwriter scene in Nashville at that time. (Snapper/Catfish, 1981/2003, with Townes Van Zandt, David Allan Coe, and Steve Earle). Numerous artists have charted with Clark-penned tunes. In 1982, Bobby Bare made it to the Country Top Twenty with Clark’s "New Cut Road". That same year, bluegrass leader Ricky Skaggs hit No. 1 with Clark’s "Heartbroke", a song that permanently established his reputation as an ingenious songwriter. Among the many others who have covered Clark's songs are Vince Gill, who took "Oklahoma Borderline" to the Top Ten in 1985; The Highwaymen, who introduced "Desperados Waiting For A Train" to a new generation that same year; and John Conlee, whose interpretation of “The Carpenter” rode into the Top Ten in 1987.
Steve Wariner took his cover of Clark's "Baby I’m Yours" to No. 1 in 1988; Asleep at the Wheel charted with Clark's "Blowin’ Like a Bandit" the same year. Crowell was Clark’s co-writer on "She’s Crazy for Leavin’", which in 1989 became the third of five straight #l hits for Crowell. Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson cover Clark’s "Out in the Parkin' Lot," co-written with Darrell Scott, on Paisley's Time Well Wasted CD. Jimmy Buffett has covered Clark’s "Boats to Build" and "Cinco de Mayo in Memphis". Clark credits Townes Van Zandt as being a major influence on his songwriting. They were best friends for many years until Van Zandt's death in 1997, and since then Clark has included one of Van Zandt's compositions on most of his albums. In 1995, he recorded a live album with Van Zandt and Steve Earle, Together at the Bluebird Cafe, which was released in October 2001. Other live material can be found on his album Keepers.
In 2006 Clark released Workbench Songs. The album was nominated for "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album" at the Grammy Awards. He also toured with Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, and John Hiatt in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
In May 2008, Clark canceled four concerts after breaking his leg. After two months on crutches, he began to perform again on July 4 at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC where he appeared with Verlon Thompson. On June 20, 2009, Clark announced a new album entitled "Somedays the Song Writes You" which was released on September 22, 2009. It features originals along with a Townes Van Zandt song entitled "If I Needed You".
In December 2011 This One's For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark (a two-CD set) was released by Icehouse Music.
Guy Clark won the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album in 2014 for My Favorite Picture of You.
On May 17, 2016, Clark's death was announced on his Facebook page.
Clark was married to songwriter and artist, Susanna Clark from 1972 through her death from cancer on June 27, 2012.
Hollywood
Guy Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In an older part of town
Something caught my eye
And I stopped and turned around
I stepped inside and there I spied
In the middle of it all
Was a beat up old guitar
"What do you want for that piece of junk?"
I asked the old man
He just smiled and took it down
And he put it in my hand
He said, "You tell me what it's worth
You're the one who wants it"
Tune it up, play a song
And let's just see what haunts it
So, I hit a couple of chords
In my old country way of strumming
And then my fingers turned to lightning
Man, I never heard it coming
It was like I always knew it
I just don't know where I learned it
It wasn't nothin' but the truth
So I just reared back and burned it
Well, I lost all track of time
There was nothing I couldn't pick
Up and down the neck
I never missed a lick
The guitar almost played itself
There was nothing I could do
It was getting hard to tell
Just who was playing who
When I finally put it down
I couldn't catch my breath
My hands were shaking
And I was scared to death
The old man finally got up
Said, "Where in the hell you been?
I've been waiting all these years
For you to stumble in"
Then he took down an old dusty case
Said, " Go on and pack it up
You don't owe me nothing"
And then he said, "Good luck"
There was something spooky in his voice
And something strange on his face
When he shut the lid
I saw my name was on the case
Guy Clark’s song, Hollywood, tells the story of a musician who discovers a beat-up old guitar in a pawn shop in the older area of town. The guitar catches his eye, and he steps inside to get a closer look. The shop owner allows him to examine it, and he takes the guitar down from its resting place on the wall for the musician to inspect. The musician asks the old man what he wants for the guitar, and the old man replies, “You tell me what it's worth, you're the one who wants it". So the musician tunes it up and begins to play, and as he does, his fingers turn to “lightning” and he starts to play an incredible song. He loses track of time and is playing the guitar like it's playing him.
When he finally puts the guitar down, he's shaken and breathless, and the old man says, “I’ve been waiting all these years for you to stumble in.” He then takes down an old dusty case with the musician's name on it and tells him to pack up the guitar. The song ends with the musician feeling as if he's just discovered something special, and he can't wait to take it to Hollywood.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I was passing by a pawn shop
The singer was walking around an old area of town when he came across a pawn shop.
In an older part of town
The pawn shop was located in a part of town that was old and worn down.
Something caught my eye
The singer saw something interesting that made him stop and look.
And I stopped and turned around
The artist halted and turned back towards the pawn shop.
I stepped inside and there I spied
The artist entered the pawn shop and saw something that caught his attention.
In the middle of it all
The object that caught the singer's eye was located in the middle of the pawn shop.
Was a beat up old guitar
The item that the singer spotted was a damaged and worn-out guitar.
Hanging on the wall
The guitar was suspended from a hook on the wall.
"What do you want for that piece of junk?"
The artist inquired about the guitar's price, considering it worthless.
I asked the old man
The artist directed his question to the old man running the pawn shop.
He just smiled and took it down
The shopkeeper grinned and removed the guitar from the wall.
And he put it in my hand
The shopkeeper handed the guitar to the artist.
He said, "You tell me what it's worth
The shopkeeper challenged the singer to determine the guitar's value.
You're the one who wants it"
The shopkeeper suggested that the singer name his own price since he was interested in buying it.
Tune it up, play a song
The shopkeeper asked the singer to tune the guitar and play a tune.
And let's just see what haunts it
The shopkeeper wanted to observe the emotions the guitar stirred within the musician.
So, I hit a couple of chords
The artist played a few notes on the guitar.
In my old country way of strumming
The singer played the guitar in a classic country style.
And then my fingers turned to lightning
The singer's fingers moved rapidly over the frets as if they were electrified.
Man, I never heard it coming
The artist was surprised by how quickly and effortlessly he played the guitar.
It was like I always knew it
The artist felt as though he had always been meant to play the guitar.
I just don't know where I learned it
The artist was unsure of how he had acquired his guitar-playing talent.
It wasn't nothin' but the truth
The singer was playing from the heart.
So I just reared back and burned it
The artist played with passion and intensity.
Well, I lost all track of time
The singer became so engrossed in playing the guitar that he lost track of time.
There was nothing I couldn't pick
The singer was able to play any note or chord he desired.
Up and down the neck
The singer could play notes and chords all along the guitar's neck.
I never missed a lick
The artist did not make any mistakes while playing the guitar.
The guitar almost played itself
The guitar was so well-crafted that it was almost effortless to play.
There was nothing I could do
The singer felt as though he had no control over how effortlessly he played the guitar.
It was getting hard to tell
The singer was beginning to feel as though he and the guitar were one and the same.
Just who was playing who
The artist wondered if he truly had any control over the guitar or if it was controlling him.
When I finally put it down
The artist eventually stopped playing the guitar.
I couldn't catch my breath
The artist was so emotionally drained and breathless that he struggled to speak.
My hands were shaking
The singer's hands were trembling with emotion.
And I was scared to death
The artist was frightened by how deeply and effortlessly he played the guitar.
The old man finally got up
The shopkeeper stood up from his chair.
Said, "Where in the hell you been?
The shopkeeper playfully chided the singer for taking so long to discover his talent.
I've been waiting all these years
The shopkeeper had been holding onto the guitar and waiting for the right person to play it.
For you to stumble in"
The shopkeeper had been waiting for the artist to come into his shop and discover the guitar.
Then he took down an old dusty case
The shopkeeper retrieved an old, dusty case from a shelf.
Said, " Go on and pack it up
The shopkeeper told the singer to take the guitar and case with him.
You don't owe me nothing"
The shopkeeper told the singer that he did not need to pay him for the guitar.
And then he said, "Good luck"
The shopkeeper wished the artist well as he left with the guitar.
There was something spooky in his voice
The artist sensed something unsettling or eerie about the shopkeeper's tone of voice.
And something strange on his face
The artist observed something unusual or peculiar about the shopkeeper's expression.
When he shut the lid
The shopkeeper closed the lid of the guitar case.
I saw my name was on the case
The artist noticed that his name was inscribed on the outside of the guitar case, suggesting that the guitar was meant for him to find and play.
Contributed by Ethan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
dearmalika
Great performance! Love this song!
Global Village
I've ben diggin' this Guy since Old No 1. Amazing. One of the greats. Makes beautifull guitar's too !
Skye Ocean
Totally Awesome. Guy is the greatest songwriter of the last 50 years.
Chilibill Gault
Thanks for posting this. I can't think of any of Guy's songs that I don't enjoy. Most of his writing hits a familiar theme for many of us and the authenticity of his performances are about as good as it gets.
tomvband
Ths just really gets to me.....I love it. Everything about it.
Alan Hunter
So sad to hear of Guys departure .....this is class, pure and so simple .....oh and Tone tons of tone.
Robert Tallman
Thanks for posting a brilliant song from a brilliant artist..
erwin
bloody brilliant. is the new album produced by Don Was? anyone know?
Rhondalove
Guy co-wrote this with a young aussie, Jedd Hughes, a fine guitarist in his own right. One generation leads another generation.
Walter Palmer
Never heard this fantastic as usual