David Hubbard Sings & Plays James Taylor's Bartender Blues...

"Bartender's Blues" is Taylor's attempt to stretch into writing country music, which was not the typical genre Taylor wrote in.[1] It was also an attempt to provide a different perspective from the common country music theme of a customer telling his troubles to the bartender.[1] In this song, the bartender gets to narrate his story.[1] The bartender feels trapped and unhappy in his job, and is looking for a "honky tonk angel" to come save him.

George Jones covered "Bartender's Blues" as the title track of his 1978 album Bartender's Blues.^[3] James Taylor sang background vocals on this version.^[6]  

"Bartender's Blues"

Well, I'm just a bartender
And I don't like my work
But I don't mind the money at all
I've seen lots of sad faces
And lots of bad cases
Of folks with their backs to the wall

[Chorus:]
But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away

Well I can light up your smokes
I can laugh at your jokes
I can watch you fall down on your knees
I can close down this bar
Oh and gas up my car
And I can pack up and mail in my keys

[Chorus:]
But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away

Now the smoke fills the air
Of this honky tonk bar
And I'm thinkin' bout where I'd rather be
But I burned all my bridges
And I sunk all my ships
And I'm stranded at the edge of the sea

[Chorus:]
But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away...