Young Blood by Rickie Lee Jones

Album: Rickie Lee Jones (1979)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Rickie Lee Jones was an itinerant teenager, running away from home and traveling around California as she looked to make a career out of music. When she was 16 (around 1971) she found herself hitchhiking when someone picked her up and bought her a burrito at a restaurant called Burrito King, which inspired this song.

In a Songfacts interview with Jones, she said: "When I was 22, six years later, I was wondering what the people who lived near Burrito King were up to. Mostly Hispanic, an exciting part of town. So I made up these people and had them go out and have some fun."
This is a track on Rickie Lee Jones' self-titled debut, which earned her widespread acclaim and a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The song is an example of her early songwriting, where she created characters based on real people and events.
The Burrito King that inspired this song is likely in Madera, California. It still exists, and was founded in the 1970s.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

WaterfallsTLC

Cee-Lo Green sang backup on the 1994 TLC hit "Waterfalls."

Midnight RiderThe Allman Brothers Band

A roadie for the Allman Brothers came up with the line "The road goes on forever" for "Midnight Rider," and got a songwriting credit for his contribution.

Falling SlowlyGlen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova starred in the movie Once, which featured their song "Falling Slowly." Bob Dylan liked the song and movie so much he gave them an opening slot on his tour.

Go Away Little GirlDonny Osmond

Originally a chart-topper for Steve Lawrence in 1962, "Go Away Little Girl" became the first song of the rock era to hit #1 for two different artists when Donny Osmond's cover version also reached the summit in 1971.

Crocodile RockElton John

Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" borrows a bit from Don McLean's "American Pie." Both songs feature a Chevy, and are about young people who are heartbroken when their music "dies."

Blowin' In The WindBob Dylan

Thanks to a Newsweek article, there was a long-standing rumor that Bob Dylan stole the song "Blowin' In The Wind."

Editor's Picks

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

Amanda PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Call us crazy, but we like it when an artist comes around who doesn't mesh with the status quo.

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.