B-side "Bumming Around" Format Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM Length 2:38 | Released 1965 Genre Country pop Label Reprise | |
"Houston" is a song written by Lee Hazlewood, which was released in 1965 by Dean Martin. The song spent 9 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 21, while reaching No. 2 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart, and No. 11 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade.
The lyrics are from the perspective on a down on his luck drifter who describes himself as "A walkin' case of the blues." The verses describe his many misfortunes ("I found a dollar yesterday, but the wind blew it away"), each ending with the repeated refrain "Going back to Houston, Houston, Houston...". The mood lightens on the final verse when the narrator reveals that despite his woes, he has a girlfriend waiting for him in the titular city.
Musically, the song is orchestrated country pop with a medium tempo and strolling rhythm, with a brief harmonica solo. The distinctive percussive sound at the beginning and end of the song was created by tapping an empty Coke bottle with a spoon.
Cover versions
The English post-punk group The Fall recorded a version of the song on The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click) (2003). Apart from a harsh electronic introduction and minor changes to the lyrics (e.g., chasing a £10 note rather than a dollar), The Fall interpretation is faithful to the original's melody and basic structure.