About The Song
Blue Side of Town reached the public on October 8, 1988, as the lead single from Patty Loveless’s album Honky Tonk Angel on MCA Nashville. Paul Kennerley and Hank DeVito wrote it. Tony Brown produced the track. The B-side was “If You Think.” The recording runs just over three minutes.
Loveless acquired the rights to the song in 1985. She chose not to place it on her self-titled debut album and waited until the sessions for Honky Tonk Angel. The single entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart that October and stayed there for 22 weeks. It peaked at number 4 for the week of January 14, 1989. In Canada it reached number 7 on the RPM Country Tracks chart.
The story follows a woman whose partner has ended the relationship and been untrue. Rain falls on the window. Tears follow. She refuses to remain the one left holding only pride. Instead she packs a suitcase and leaves for the blue side of town. That side holds a honky tonk with low lights and the saddest songs on the jukebox. Dark shadows fall like broken dreams on the lost and lonely. She knows Heartbreak Hotel well and will hang around there, hiding her heartache. She has been to that place before. If the former partner ever needs her, that is where she can be found.
Rosie Flores recorded the song first for her 1987 self-titled album. Canadian singer Lori Yates cut a version for her 1989 album *Can’t Stop the Girl*. Loveless’s release remains the best-known.
Honky Tonk Angel went on to earn platinum certification from the RIAA. Later singles from the same album, including “Timber, I’m Falling in Love” and “Chains,” reached number 1 on the country chart. “Blue Side of Town” marked the start of that run and gave Loveless her longest chart stay to that point.
The song stayed in her live sets for years and appears on later greatest-hits collections. Its picture of a familiar bar where the broken gather continues to connect with listeners who recognize the decision to take their troubles to the same old corner rather than pretend the pain has already left.
Video
Lyric
Rain on my window
Tears in my eyes
Why must I always
Be the one that’s left with pride
You say it’s over
You don’t want me around
Well I’m leavin’ you baby
For the blue side of town
Well there’s a honky tonk
Where the lights are low
And they play the saddest songs
Dark shadows fall like broken dreams
On the lost and lonely ones
And there’s heartbreak hotel
Yes I know it well
I hang around
Blue side of town
You think I’m lonely
Well that’s for sure
But don’t worry baby
I’ve been there before
And if you need me
Well, I can be found
Hiding my heartache
On the blue side of town
Well there’s a honky tonk
Where the lights are low
And they play the saddest songs
Dark shadows fall like broken dreams
On the lost and lonely ones
And there’s heartbreak hotel
Yes I know it well
I hang around
Blue side of town
My hearts forsaken
You’ve been untrue
It hurts me baby
But I know just what to do
I’ll pack my suitcase
And I’ll see you around
Take all my troubles
To the blue side of town
Well there’s a honky tonk
Where the lights are low
And they play the saddest songs
Dark shadows fall like broken dreams
On the lost and lonely ones
And there’s heartbreak hotel
Yes I know it well
I hang around
Blue side of town
I hang around
Blue side of town