Bright Lights, Big City (with The Cheap Dates) [Live at the Troubadour]

In 1961, you came out with the "Bright Lights in the Big City"

Um hmm, well that come from, well let's see where I was when I wrote that number. About "Bright Lights, Big City" .... I started that in, um, ... it was some city I was in, Calvin, I can't think exactly which one it was, it was kind of one, in one of the Southern states. And I was doing a light show, it was kind of bright and all that kind of stuff, so I kept on with that, and I fooled around with that till I got home. And when I did get home, I was tellin' my wife about it, I said I'm gonna write me a song about these bright lights and all that. And she said, "What you mean, these lights around here in the house?" I said, "No, but there's some city I come through and the lights were so bright, till you couldn't hardly see how to drive. The lights from the, from the street lights was blindin' you except for the car light." She said, "Well lay in that sound, 'Bright Lights and Big City'." So she jumped in there just like Al and them did 'bout this Boss Man thang and she started helping me write that thang word for word, "Bright Lights and Big City"

Bright light, big city, gone to my baby's head

Whoa, bright light and big city, gone to my baby's head

I tried to tell the woman but she don't believe a word I said

It's all right, pretty baby, gonna need my help someday

Whoa, it's all right, pretty baby, gonna need my help someday

You gonna wish you had a-listened to some a-those things I said

Go ahead, pretty baby, a-honey knock yourself out

Oh go ahead, pretty baby, honey knock yourself out

I still love you baby 'cause you don't know what it's all about

Bright light, a big city, they went to my baby's head

Oh, the bright light, the big city, they went to my baby's head