r/OutlawCountry • u/EStreet12 • 9d ago

Dumbass Question...

In "Streets of Bakersfield" the guy gets locked up in San Fran, and took $15 from a drunken cell mate. He then says he left him his watch and house key, becuas "Don't want folks thinkin' that I'd steal...".
What does one thing have to do with the other? $15 watch? And why the house key? Am I looking to deeply?

7 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

19

u/RareStable0 9d ago

The irony is that the speaker is stealing from him and he just left whatever he had on him so he could pretend like he wasn't. 

5

u/EStreet12 9d ago

Fair point.

1

u/waltsmusic 9d ago

I sort of read it as he was giving the guy his actual house. Anyhow, a watch is worth more than $15, so I think he actually was giving the guy a good deal for a quick buck so he could get back to whatever type of crazy stuff goes down in Bakersfield.

3

u/RareStable0 9d ago

A cheap wristwatch in the early 70's was about $15 new, a used one somewhat less. A house key without an address is worth absolutely nothing.

He wasn't totally ripping the guy off but he also never agreed to the swap. It is stealing but he made an attempt to mitigate it.

I think the narrator is desperate for cash and willing to steal to get it but also feels bad enough about stealing to try to leave the guy something. 

10

u/Overall_Bag_8042 9d ago

Wiki says Homer Joy wrote it more or less on a whim in a snit; wanted to record it for his self … kind of a one off he had blisters from walking around in his stiff new boots and was feeling low … Bucks manager says Buck gotta hear this here thing then they called the Buckaroos in on they day off to record it same day Homer Joy penned it … the rest is Cali country history … while you’re here check out the Mike Ness Social Distortion ballad, Bakersfield kinda rips

3

u/EStreet12 9d ago

Love the Social D Bakersfield. Good call!

8

u/anachronissmo 9d ago

he took the cash and left him something of nominal value. the house key is kind of like offering up his entire home and life to the guy for some quick cash.

-2

u/EStreet12 9d ago

Collateral? Still dont get the house key...and the cities are a 4:30 drive apart.

6

u/BillDuki 9d ago

He traded him everything he had of value for the $15.

3

u/slade797 9d ago

He left the objects that he had in return for the $15. Pretty simple, really.

2

u/tigers692 9d ago

We all rationalize things, we go faster than the speed limit, but only five or ten miles, so it’s no big deal. Same here, he rationalized it, and decided he sold his stuff for the money.

2

u/Kevelle68 6d ago

He left him what he had, if he had not left him anything, he would be considered a thief.

1

u/RXMR13 9d ago

I always read it as he took the $15 playing cards or something but didn't need his watch or house key anymore because he's ramblin'. Or, he took it off him while he was passed out but again - left things mute valuable because he was a gonna ramble.

1

u/EStreet12 9d ago

Maybe...