"Houston" is a song written by Lee Hazlewood and first recorded in 1964 by Sanford Clark and best known from a hit version by Dean Martin.Erlewine, Michael (1997). All Music Guide to Country: The Experts' Guide to the Best Recordings in Country Music, Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 90. Retrieved February 26, 2018.Leszczak, Bob (2014). Who Did It First?: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists, Rowman & Littlefield. p. 63. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
Background The lyrics are from the perspective on a down-on-his-luck drifter who describes himself as "a walkin' case of the blues". The verses describe his many misfortunes ("Saw a dollar yesterday, but the wind blew it away"), each ending with the repeated refrain "Going back to Houston, Houston, Houston ...". The mood lightens on the final verse when the narrator reveals that despite his woes, he has a girlfriend waiting for him in the titular city. However, the narrator clarifies this by saying, "at least, she said she'd be." Musically, the song is orchestrated country pop with a medium tempo and strolling rhythm, with a brief harmonica solo. Sources differ as to how the distinctive percussive sound at the beginning and end of the song was created.
Dean Martin recording "Houston" was a hit in 1965 when recorded by Dean Martin. Dean Martin's daughter, Deana Martin, has recounted her father telling her that the percussive sound was created by tapping an empty Coca-Cola bottle with a spoon,Hoekstra, Dean. "Dean's daughter proves Martin is 'Forever Cool'", Chicago Sun-Times, November 25, 2007. PressReader.com. Retrieved January 7, 2018. while Hal Blaine once stated that he created the sound by tapping a glass ash tray with a triangle wand.Instrument, Chronicle Books, p. 108. October 5, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2018.Young, Robin and Jeremy Hobson. "The musicians behind the great bands that got the credit", Here and Now, WBUR-FM, April 20, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
Chart performance Martin's version spent 9 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 21,Dean Martin — Chart History — The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed August 14, 2016. while reaching No. 2 on Billboards Easy Listening chart,Dean Martin — Chart History — Adult Contemporary, Billboard.com. Accessed August 15, 2016."Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening", Billboard, September 18, 1965. p. 20. Accessed August 14, 2016. and No. 11 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade. Chart No. 445. CHUM.
Chart (1965)PeakpositionUS Billboard Hot 10021US Billboard Easy Listening2Canada — CHUM Hit Parade11
Cover versions Bobby Bare recorded the song for his album, The Streets of Baltimore, released in 1966.
The English post-punk group The Fall recorded a version of the song on The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click) (2003). Apart from a harsh electronic introduction and minor changes to the lyrics, e.g., chasing a £10 note rather than a dollar, The Fall interpretation is faithful to the original's melody and basic structure.
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