☝️ Key Points
- The protagonist is searching for his place in the world and wants to be accepted
- He distances himself from the prejudices and lack of understanding of the people around him
- He walks many miles on the streets of Bakersfield and has blisters on his heels
- He spent a night in jail in San Francisco and took money from a drunk man to avoid being seen as a thief
- The song lyrics talk about how people should get to know the streets of Bakersfield to truly understand the protagonist
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Streets of Bakersfield" by
Dwight Yoakam tell the story of a man who is searching for something he can't find anywhere else. He just wants to be himself and not try to be someone else. He has walked many miles on foot and gotten blisters on his heels while trying to find something better here on the streets of Bakersfield.
The protagonist of the song feels misunderstood and unaccepted by the people around him. He asks how many of them, who judge him, have ever walked the streets of Bakersfield and know what it's really like.
In another verse, he mentions his experiences in San Francisco, where he spent a night in jail. There, he encountered a drunken man whom he took fifteen dollars from, but left his watch and house key behind so as not to be seen as a thief. Then he thanks the man as he leaves and heads to Bakersfield.
The lyrics of the song "Streets of Bakersfield" are about a man searching for his place in the world and distancing himself from the prejudices and lack of understanding of the people around him. He wants to be accepted and for people to get to know the streets of Bakersfield to understand who he truly is.