During the late 1950s, Crosby was a member of a local Oneonta teen band called The Tones. The band traveled to Philadelphia to audition for Dick Clark's "American Bandstand", but were turned down. Members of the band found Dick Clark's house and were able to get a recommendation to audition at New York City's Baton Records through the company's lead producer Sol Rabinowitz. The band was given a recording contract, but the studio wanted a quintet backed by studio musicians, which left Crosby and another member out of their recordings.
After high school, Crosby joined the National Guard, but his thirst for adventure led him to go AWOL and roam the country busking for a living in areas like New Orleans, Texas, Florida, and New York. He played mostly ukulele until Harriet Ottenheimer, one of the founders of The Quorum, got him settled on a guitar in 1963. He adopted his stage name "Jerry Jeff Walker" in 1966. He spent his early folk music days in Greenwich Village in the mid 1960s. He co-founded a band with Bob Bruno in the late 1960s called Circus Maximus that put out two albums one with the popular west coast hit "Wind", but Bruno's interest in jazz apparently diverged from Walker's interest in folk music. Walker thus resumed his solo career and recorded the seminal album "Mr. Bojangles" with the help of David Bromberg and other influential Atlantic recording artists. He settled in Austin, Texas, in the 1970s associating mainly with the country-rock outlaw scene that included artists such as Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Waylon Jennings, and Townes Van Zandt.
"Mr. Bojangles" (written by Walker) is perhaps his most well-known and most-often covered song. It was about an obscure alcoholic but talented tap-dancing drifter, (not the famous stage and movie dancer Bill Robinson, as usually assumed). Bojangles is thought to have been a folk character who entertained informally in the south of the US and California, and some say he might have been one of the most gifted natural dancers ever. Authentic reports of him exist from the 1920s through about 1965. Artists from Nina Simone to Bob Dylan, Philip Glass to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, have covered the song. Walker has also recorded songs written by others such as "LA Freeway" (Guy Clark), and "Up Against the Wall Red Neck Mother" (Ray Wylie Hubbard).
A string of records for MCA and Elektra followed Jerry Jeff's move to Austin, before he gave up on the mainstream music business and formed his own independent record label. Tried & True Music was founded in 1986, with his wife Susan as President and manager. Susan also founded Goodknight Music as his management company and Tried & True Artists for his bookings. A series of increasingly autobiographical records followed under the Tried & True imprint. Tried & True also sells his autobiography called "Gypsy Songman". In 2004, Jerry Jeff released his first DVD of songs from his past as performed in an intimate setting in Austin, TX.
He interpreted the songs of others like Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Keith Sykes, Paul Siebel, Bob Dylan, Todd Snider and even a rodeo clown named Billy Jim Baker.
His son, Django Walker, is also a musician. In addition to his residence in Austin, Walker had a retreat on Ambergris Caye in Belize where he recorded his "Cowboy Boots and Bathing Suits" album in 1998.
Members of his band varied over the years. The Lost Gonzo Band and the Gonzo Compadres have backed him in the past. Key members of his band included Craig Hillis - guitarist and arranger on Viva Terlingua, John Inmon, Freddy Krc, Gary P. Nunn, Bob Livingston, Bobby Rambo, Mitch Watkins, Steve Samuel, David Bromberg and others.
London Homesick Blues
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and you ain't got a buck,
in London you're a goner.
Even London Bridge has fallen down
and moved to Arizona;
now I know why.
And I'll substantiate the rumor
that the English sense of humoris drier than the Texas sand.
You can put up your dukes,
and you can bet your boots,
that I'm leavin' just as fast as I can.
Chorus;
I want to go home with the armadillo.
Good country music from Amarillo and Abilene.
The friendliest people and the prettiest women
you've ever seen.
Well it's cold over here and I swear,
I wish they'd turn the heat on.
And where in the world is that English girl,
I promised I would meet on the third floor?
And of the whole damn lot, the only friend I got,
is a smoke and a cheap guitar.
My mind keeps roamin', my heart keeps longin'
to be home in a Texas bar.
Chorus
Well, I decided that I'd get my cowboy hat
and go down to Marble Arch Station.
'Cause when a Texan fancies
he'll take his chances,chances will be taken - that's for sure.
And them Limey eyes, they were eyein' the prize
that some people call manly footwear.
They said you're from down South,
and when you open your mouth,
you always seem to put your foot there.
Chorus
Chorus
The lyrics in Jerry Jeff Walker's song "London Homesick Blues" tell the story of a Texan who finds himself in London, England and is not enjoying his experience. He is down on his luck and implies that if you don't have money in London, you're out of luck - even London Bridge has fallen down and moved to Arizona. The Texan substantiates a rumor that the English have a dry sense of humor, which is unusual compared to the humor of Texas. He pines for the friendliest people and the prettiest women he’s ever seen, which he says are in Amarillo and Abilene. The chorus reveals that he wants to go home with the armadillo and listen to good country music, implying that he desires to leave London and return to Texas.
In the second verse, he voices his dissatisfaction with the chilly English climate and declares that he wishes the heat were on. Additionally, he bemoans how he hasn’t been able to find the English girl he was supposed to meet on the third floor. He also notes that the only friend he has is his smoke and cheap guitar, and he longs to be sitting in a Texas bar. In the third verse, the Texan becomes more proactive and decides to flaunt his cowboy hat in Marble Arch Station. He believes that if a Texan wants something, he’ll take his chances, insinuating that he’ll take risks to get what he wants. However, the English people give him a hard time, eying his boots and poking fun at his accent.
Overall, "London Homesick Blues" is a humorous song that depicts a Texan's desire to be back in his comfort zone as he struggles to adapt to life in London, England. The song is a reflection of people's desire to be in their homeland when faced with unfamiliar circumstances or locations.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, when you're down on your luck
and you ain't got a buck,
in London you're a goner.
The singer implies that in London, if anyone is going through a rough patch or lacks funds, they become powerless and vulnerable.
Even London Bridge has fallen down
and moved to Arizona;
now I know why.
The singer notes that London Bridge has been dismantled and rebuilt in Arizona, indicating London's instability and the difficulties that Londoners face which might cause them to move away from their city.
And I'll substantiate the rumor
that the English sense of humor
is drier than the Texas sand.
The singer confirms a rumor that the English's humor is very different from Texas natives. It is much drier and humorless.
You can put up your dukes,
and you can bet your boots,
that I'm leavin' just as fast as I can.
The artist is determined to leave London as soon as possible, so no one should try to mess with him.
Chorus;
I want to go home with the armadillo.
Good country music from Amarillo and Abilene.
The friendliest people and the prettiest women
you've ever seen.
The artist wants to return home to Texas, specifically Amarillo and Abilene, where he can enjoy some good country music and the company of friendly people and beautiful women.
Well it's cold over here and I swear,
I wish they'd turn the heat on.
And where in the world is that English girl,
I promised I would meet on the third floor?
The singer notes that London is cold, and he is curious about the whereabouts of the English girl he promised to meet.
And of the whole damn lot, the only friend I got,
is a smoke and a cheap guitar.
My mind keeps roamin', my heart keeps longin'
to be home in a Texas bar.
The singer has only a cheap guitar and a smoke, but his heart longs for home, specifically a Texas bar.
Well, I decided that I'd get my cowboy hat
and go down to Marble Arch Station.
'Cause when a Texan fancies
he'll take his chances,
chances will be taken - that's for sure.
The artist decides to wear his cowboy hat to Marble Arch Station, indicating his pride in being from Texas, and his willingness to take risks while making a move.
And them Limey eyes, they were eyein' the prize
that some people call manly footwear.
They said you're from down South,
and when you open your mouth,
you always seem to put your foot there.
The artist observes how the English onlookers gaze at his boots, which they see as characteristic of an overly-masculine stereotype. They also feel that he often makes inappropriate remarks.
Lyrics © NUNN PUBLISHING CO.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@philipshirk2228
Gotta put myself back in that place again
Well, when you're down on your luck
And you ain't got a buck
In London you're a goner
Even London Bridge
Has fallen down
And moved to Arizona
Now I know why
And I'll substantiate the rumor
That the English sense of humor
Is drier than than the Texas sand
You can put up your dukes
Or you can bet your boots
That I'm leavin' just as fast as I can
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
Well, it's cold over here
And I swear
I wish they'd turn the heat on
And where in the world
Is that English girl
I promised I would meet on
The third floor?
And of the whole damn lot
The only friend I got
Is a smoke and a cheap guitar
My mind keeps roamin'
My heart keeps longin'
To be home in a Texas bar
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
Well, I decided that
I'd get my cowboy hat
And go down to Marble Arch Station
'Cause when a Texan fancies
He'll take his chances
Chances will be taken
That's for sure
And them limey eyes
They were eyein' the prize
That some people call manly footwear
And they said "You're from down South
"And when you open your mouth
"You always seem to put your foot there"
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
Gary P. Nunn!
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo
And Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you ever seen
@docgumbo4979
Class of ‘78…Our Class Song. It don’t get ANY better than this!!!whoooo-eeeeee!!!!
@redvalens8861
This song is underrated af
@eduardos7076
Not in Texas. This is an away from Texas anthem.
@merleinaustin
If you're a Texas ambassador, living far away from home...this is your song. I spent 15 years away from Texas and it helps when you are homesick.
@janicerippey2857
Merleinaustin you are so right!
@elliebrinegar6568
Yes for sure... I really felt your comment. I spent ages 15 to 22 in Scotland and this was definitely a theme song of mine, being from Houston, haha
@didgit6495
I ain't from Texas but I been there plenty o times and there ain't nothing quite like it. Hill country is gorgeous and comforting. Good ol Guadalupe river!!
@elliebrinegar6568
@@didgit6495 ❤
@Sgt.Kilrain
Yep, been out of Texas for two years now in DC. I miss home.
@donaldmattia1491
This song puts Gary P Nunn right up there as one the greatest songwriters ever born.