Bartender's Blues (song)
| "Bartender's Blues" | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Single by James Taylor | |
| from the album JT | |
| A-side | "Handy Man" |
| Released | 1977 |
| Genre | Soft rock, Country |
| Length | 4:10 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | James Taylor |
| Producer(s) | Peter Asher |
| "Bartender's Blues" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Single by George Jones | |
| from the album Bartender's Blues | |
| B-side | "Rest in Peace" |
| Released | 1978 |
| Recorded | October 10, 1977 |
| Genre | Country |
| Length | 3:43 |
| Label | Epic |
| Songwriter(s) | James Taylor |
| Producer(s) | Billy Sherrill |
"Bartender's Blues" is a song written by James Taylor and first released on his 1977 album JT. It was also released as the b-side of the lead single from JT, "Handy Man." It has since been covered by George Jones and other artists.
"Bartender's Blues" is Taylor's attempt to stretch into writing country music, which was not the typical genre Taylor wrote in. 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. In this song, the bartender gets to narrate his story. The bartender feels trapped and unhappy in his job, and is looking for a "honky tonk angel" to come save him. Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as "James Taylor's impression of what life in a honky tonk must be."
Author Aaron A. Fox sees the song as capturing a classic country music metaphor of the bartender who uses his talking skills to "repair social ruptures" but in the process becomes "the very kind of fool he despises, hating his job even as he lights the cigarettes and laughs at the jokes of his customers while watching them fall down on [their] knees." Sue Simmons-McGinity remarks on how the song applies the common country music metaphor of a "honky tonk angel" who has the potential to save her man but unlike in many country songs, in "Bartender's Blues" the angel doesn't "become wife and mother to be helpful."
Linda Ronstadt sings harmony vocals and Dan Dugmore plays pedal steel guitar, while Danny Kortchmar plays guitar.
Allmusic critic Bill Janovitz says of Taylor's performance "Taylor sounds about as convincing in his attempt at straight-country performance as he is as a Nashville songwriter; that is, not very," although he considers it a "commendable effort at writing a genuine country song" that is "beautiful musically," particularly the melody. He also praises Ronstadt's and Dugmore's performances. Taylor himself stated that "I think it's an okay but lightweight song."
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