James Taylor - Bartender's Blues Lyrics






Now I'm just a bartender, and I don't like my work, but I don't mind the money at all.
I see lots of sad faces and lots of bad cases of folks with their backs to the wall.
But I need 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.

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, I can gas up my car, I can pack up and mail in my key.
But I need 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 in this honky-tonk bar
and I'm thinking 'bout where I'd rather be.
But I burned all my bridges, I sank all my ships and I'm stranded at the edge of the sea.
But I need 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.





Other Lyrics by Artist

Rand Lyrics

Last Posts

James Taylor Bartender's Blues Comments
  1. A.... G....

    Que preciosa canción 🤔

  2. d.... H....

    Seine Songs tragen einem irgendwie immer wieder durch die Wirren der Tage.

  3. V.... R....

    Magnificent💎💜

    V.... R....

    Totally agreed!  Reminds my sweet childhood.!!  What lovely times..!!

  4. W.... N....

    JT wrote this for George Jones and his video of it it on youtube, watch

  5. W.... N....

    and dont forget Carly

  6. W.... N....

    ronstadt and raitt are also super great as is Joni. all collaborators with JT

  7. W.... N....

    great classic country song, right up there with Willie, JT is great.

  8. p.... m....

    James had more hair back then. I had more hair back then.

  9. W.... D....

    No1 version of this tune!

  10. s.... ....

    When James Taylor did this song he said he was trying to sound like George. Of course, he doesn’t have the fullness in his voice that George did, but he did it justice. But then again, I’ve never heard another vocalist that had a fuller voice than George did. It’s like his voice was “thicker” lol

    s.... ....

    James Taylor wrote this song for George Jones specifically off the JT album.

  11. b.... f....

    2/21/2019 4 walls to surround me, honestly, I have fell down on my knees. PEACE!

  12. J.... ....

    My two favorite 70s artists: James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. I loved it when they collaborated. James was such a hottie in his hippie days and on the cover of JT.

  13. t.... ....

    James Taylor's picture once hung/hanged (whatever) above my bed...and I still love him and his songs...

  14. A.... G....

    Masterpiece

  15. A.... H....

    SO COOL!!!!

  16. A.... G....

    Preciosa canción

  17. w.... ....

    JT gave birth to this masterpiece but George Jones raised it to be a man

  18. J.... E....

    I love this song because of it's creative spin on a common theme: lots of country songs have a customer telling his troubles to a bartender, but this one's the bartender listening and it's absolutely amazing. There's nothing James Taylor can't do

  19. w.... ....

    for longest I thought this was Carly Simon how could I mistake her for Linda Ronstadt its so obvious now

    w.... ....

    I thought it was Carly Simon in all his early hits.. I didn’t know the timeline ..for instance, it’s actually Joni Mitchell on You’ve Got a Friend, Long Time etc..
    I also just learned it’s JT playing banjo on one of my favorite songs of all time, Old Man by Neil Young, with Linda and JT on background vocals..

  20. J.... A....

    This rola makes me cry

  21. S.... M....

    When we finally step off this bus we call life, we can all look back and remember the wonderful gift that James shared with us ... God bless you James from a grateful fan

    S.... M....

    well put!

  22. M.... N....

    I feel you’ve all ignored Vince Gill crooning to this tune for fun and killing it.

    M.... N....

    Now I have to check this out!!

  23. D.... M....

    Linda kills 70s heaven

  24. D.... M....

    James doing justice

  25. J.... F....

    I hadn't heard this song in at least a decade but I had no problem singing all the words. What a song. It's a toss up between George Jones and JT. Both really do this song justice.

  26. C.... B....

    This is one of JT's most underrated pieces and one of my favs.

    C.... B....

    Agreed! Mine, too

    C.... B....

    Totally agreed! Mine, too.. reminds my sweet childhood.!!  What lovely times..!!

    C.... B....

    One of his all time greatest

    C.... B....

    Ever and forever J.T.

  27. P.... R....

    With a little help from Linda Ronstadt.

    P.... R....

    Philip Radtke seems like no one credits her on this tune

    P.... R....

    Check the vinyl, mine does. CD too.

  28. d.... ....

    George's is pure country, James has a bit of jazz in it too. JT has always straddled a lot of ground. A really well-written song.

    d.... ....

    Love James Taylor

    d.... ....

    I'm thinkin George's version has a decent amount of gospel there as well...

  29. R.... G....

    This is probably old news to most of you but JT wrote the song and released it a year before George did.  JT sang backup vocals on a remake of the Jones version.   Worked out well for both of them I would say.  I've always liked James Taylor because it seems he just loves music and to my knowledge he never was critical of or unwilling to work with people from other styles of music.  I think George Jones had the most commercial success with this song, but it been recorded so many times by so many people, I wouldn't be surprised if Taylor hasn't made more money with it. ( unless someone twisted his arm enough for him to sell the rights too cheap)

    R.... G....

    James still owns it :)

    R.... G....

    He's a classy guy. I love both versions a lot. Story I heard, GJ was listening to the radio, seemed surprised, said, "Hey! That's a country song!" George was VERY much just country. Not like James that way. Anyway, back to to top of your story is what happened next.

    R.... G....

    Yes that's my understanding too. But to take the story a step farther.  James said he wrote the song with George in mind and hoped he would pick it up.  Of course, these are just stories, hard to know if they are true or not.

  30. C.... B....

    He does a better cover than George Jones.

    C.... B....

    It isn't a cover when James does it, it's an original. He wrote it.

    C.... B....

    Thanks I didn't know.thank you for pointing that out on the version & writer.

    C.... B....

    James sings the harmony with George....

    C.... B....

    No wonder George did so good on the song.

    C.... B....

    Cliff Buelter since James Taylor wrote the song, when he does it it's not a cover.

  31. l.... S....

    You know, being a Cape Cod Born and Bred J.T. is huge, and so is this song! I've seen him play it live just for a small crowd on Vineyard many years ago. Thanks so much for posting, it really brings back some great memories!

  32. l.... ....

    but i burned all my bridgesi sank all my ships and i'm stranded at the edge of the sea

    l.... ....

    +laydee312 amen to that

    l.... ....

    Beautiful lyrics!

  33. J.... L....

    Where must a man's heart and soul have been when he wrote this tune.  In the dregs, for sure.  I listen to today's country and western with embarrassment when I compare them to the endless classics of yesterday's country and western.  Today's music begins with screaming, sails on screaming, refrains on screaming and would have no audience except for the screaming.  LISTEN you nincompoops and learn.  THIS is what great lyrics and music and singing are all about.....not about YOU, not about how many riffs you can run up and down with your screaming and crying.  TELL THE STORY.  Just TELL THE STORY.  The rest will take care of itself.  Stop singing to show everyone your voice.  JUST TELL THE STORY.  Forget your voice.  Forget anything else except the story.  JUST TELL THE DAMNED THING and watch what happens.

    J.... L....

    one hell of a piece of music and strictly from the heart.....

    J.... L....

    +J Lacey "Stop singing to show everyone your voice." Perfection. Simply perfection.

    J.... L....

    Don't forget to add three chords.

  34. M.... h....

    Wonderful song written and sung by the master --- many great people recorded this piece --- it will always be with us --Bravo

  35. A.... F....

    I think James sang back up vocals on the version George did. George's vocals on that version is the one of the most soulful and real pieces of music I've ever heard in my life. A true badass.

  36. L.... L....

    Wonder if JT and GJ ever recorded or performed this together.
    RIP George...feels like I'm saying goodbye to a relative since you (your music) was so much a part of family gatherings!

    L.... L....

    james taylor actually sings backup vocals for goerge jones on goerges version

  37. a.... ....

    RIP George!

  38. L.... R....

    After hearing George Jones' version, as the writer of the song, James Taylor's version wasn't bad.

    L.... R....

    JT's version is by far the best. It was the only version I heard for years, and none of the others even compare.

    L.... R....

    david barnett exactly... and Linda's backing harmonies were perfection 👌George's version with JT backing is great and he took it to the country charts...This was the first version I heard as well✌️

  39. s.... ....

    what a great song James wrote and lord knows he and George both saw the inside of barrooms they both sing a great version but just from a different perspective thanks for posting

  40. h.... ....

    Man! James knew his craft. Hearing this version of this song is like hearing "A Boy named Sue" sung BY Shel Silverstien. Everybody knows the cover, few know the original

  41. C.... R....

    You got that right! You are obviously someone who appreciates music. I love the purity of James Taylor's (he wrote it) voice but damn if George's soulful voice doesn't give it authenticity. The world is a better place because of both of these amazing artists.

    C.... R....

    Carl Rocco -JT used to write some country songs as sort of a joke, to amuse himself. Find the live 1979 version of Steamroller Blues!!! My fave JT performance ever!!

  42. 8.... ....

    Him n good ol George sure do own this song
    ALL others fail. Plain n simple

  43. y.... ....

    been searching this song for a long time.. very nice thanks for posting

  44. t.... ....

    linda ronstadt on back ups

  45. a.... ....

    I'd almost forgotten how much I like this song. Love James Taylor!

  46. C.... K....

    I love you James!

  47. B.... R....

    Just learned that James Taylor wrote this song!!

  48. G.... J....

    @MrBuckwilliam Its not bad but check out George Jones version.But to each his own.

  49. M.... ....

    i spent a lot of quarters in the juke box listening to this one, an excellent beer drinkin' soundtrack.
    thanks for posting :)