“Guitars, Cadillacs”: Dwight Yoakam’s HillBilly Classic

Kentucky native Dwight Yoakam is known for being a country music singer-songwriter, at the same time a musician and an actor. In addition, he paved the way to introducing his particular brand of new Honky Tonk or “Hillbilly” music forward into the 1980s.

Often portrayed as a critic of Nashville, Yoakam has become a popular icon in country music with his kind of sound. His music, which is a mix of hip-hop and traditional honky-tonk, is very distinct from other country artists. In fact, Yoakam was one of the artists in the 1980s to have introduced and made a brand for the neotraditional country music along with Randy Travis, Keith Whitley, Travis Tritt, and Garth Brooks to name a few.

Yoakam released a number of songs which have become hits from time to time. “Guitars, Cadillacs” would definitely be on the top list if ever you’d ask a Dwight Yoakam hit. It is most probably be his signature song. It is a hillbilly music that Tennessee produced that has kept ringing on the ears of avid country music fans over the time.

About the Song

A 1986 hit, “Guitars, Cadillacs” is a neotraditional country song penned by American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor Dwight Yoakam. This Kentucky native recorded and released the song on June 30, 1986. American guitarist and music producer Pete Anderson produced the single. It was the second and partial title track from Yoakam’s album  Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc..

“Guitars, Cadillacs” was a chart-topper in the U.S. and Canada in 1986. It reached no. 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs while it peaked at no. 2 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks.

After its release, the song received lukewarm reception until hillbilly is a thing on radio stations. The song was not exempted from music critics. In fact, the song earned some positive remarks from the critics. Billboard magazine writer Larry Flick reviewed the song and said:

“walking bass, twangy guitar, fiddle, and Yoakam’s voice make it a pure hillbilly delight.”

On the other hand, the Rolling Stone Magazine noted a good review to the song and ranked “Guitars, Cadillacs” no. 94 in their list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.

Here are the first two stanzas of the song and I bet, you’d want to sing along with it:

Girl you taught me how to hurt real bad and cry myself to sleep
You showed me how this town can shatter dreams
Another lesson about a naive fool that came to Babylon
And found out that the pie don’t taste so sweet

Now it’s guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Lonely, lonely streets that I call home
Yeah my guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music
Is the only thing that keeps me hanging on

Liston to this Dwight Yoakam hit “Guitars, Cadillacs” below:

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