Do You Know the Way to San Jose
Encyclopedia
"Do You Know the Way to San Jose" is a popular song written for Dionne Warwick
by Burt Bacharach
(music) and Hal David
(lyrics). Introduced on the 1968 RIAA Certified Gold album Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls
, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" was issued as the follow-up single to the double-sided hit "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls
"/ "I Say a Little Prayer
" in April 1968 and became Warwick's third consecutive Top Ten song, punctuating the most successful period of Warwick's recording career. The flip side of the single "Let Me Be Lonely" also penned by Bacharach/David charted in the Billboard Hot 100 as well and became one of many double-sided hits for Warwick. The tune became Warwick's biggest international hit peaking at #8 in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. The tune charted in France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and many other countries as well.
The track, featuring Gary Chester
on bass drum, was the last Dionne Warwick single to be recorded at New York City's Bell Studios. The tune was engineered by Ed Smith who devised the famous introduction to the tune by directly attaching a mike to the head of Chester's bass drum.
Burt Bacharach wrote the music for the song before Hal David wrote its lyrics which give narrative voice to a native of the northern California city of San Jose
who, having failed to break into the entertainment field in Los Angeles, is set to return to her hometown. David had a special interest in San Jose having been stationed there while in the navy.
Dionne Warwick advised Jet
in May 2002 that winning her first Grammy Award
for "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" – the Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Female
– was the overall highlight of her career. Nevertheless the singer said of "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" in a May 1983 interview with Ebony
: "It's a dumb song and I didn't want to sing it. But it was a hit, just like [her recent Top Ten hit] 'Heartbreaker
' is. I'm happy these songs were successful, but that still doesn't change my opinion about them."
"Do You Know the Way to San Jose" has also been recorded by Connie Francis
, The George Shearing
Quintet, The Avalanches
, The Baja Marimba Band
, The Temptations
and The Supremes
together, Frankie Goes to Hollywood
, The Starlite Orchestra, De Phazz
, the Carpenters
, the Ian Levine-produced group Croisette, and Stunt Monkey, a local San Jose punk band. Foreign language renderings of the song include "Snart Så Stiger Solen Upp Igen" by Siw Malmkvist
and "La route du bonheur" by Liliane Saint-Pierre. Dionne Warwick herself recorded a new salsa
version of the song in 1998 along with Celia Cruz
and the Pete Escovedo Orchestra for her album Dionne Sings Dionne. The song remains one of Warwick's most popular numbers, and is included in almost every concert she performs.
From 1987 to 1995, then-ABC affiliate KNTV
in San Jose had its news theme based on Do You Know the Way to San Jose.
In 2000, eBay, which coincidentally has its headquarters in San Jose, CA, produced a version of the song for a commercial in which the lyrics were changed to 'Do you know the way to use eBay?' In 2006 Dutch singer Trijntje Oosterhuis
covered the song on her album "The Look of Love
" with The Metropole Orchestra, as a tribute to Burt Bacharach. Bacharach himself produced the album.
"Do You Know the Way to San Jose" was used in an advertising campaign for Guinness Irish Draught in Ireland and the UK and for the Chrysler-Dodge Corporation advertising the Dodge Charger and Challenger in 1968 and 1969.
The song is also played in the central area of Disney's California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort
in Anaheim, California
as part of its loop of songs about California.
The title lyrics are also referred to in a line of "Santa Fe", a song from the Jonathan Larson musical Rent
. The place name is changed in the lyrics from San Jose to Santa Fe, to accommodate the rest of the song. It was referenced in the 1997 film, My Best Friend's Wedding
where the title is sung briefly during a discussion the characters are having about Dionne Warwick, and then launching into "I Say a Little Prayer
." It was also used in the 1997 film "Shooting Fish."
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
by Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
(music) and Hal David
Hal David
Harold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:...
(lyrics). Introduced on the 1968 RIAA Certified Gold album Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls
Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls
Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls -- Dionne Warwick's twelfth album for the Scepter label -- was recorded during the summer and fall of 1967 and was released early the next year. It was recorded at A&R Sound Studios in New York and was produced by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The LP was...
, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" was issued as the follow-up single to the double-sided hit "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls
(Theme From) Valley of the Dolls
" Valley of the Dolls" is a 1967 song by André and Dory Previn, composed for the film version of the Jacqueline Susann novel Valley of the Dolls, and recorded by Dionne Warwick....
"/ "I Say a Little Prayer
I Say a Little Prayer
"I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967.-Background:...
" in April 1968 and became Warwick's third consecutive Top Ten song, punctuating the most successful period of Warwick's recording career. The flip side of the single "Let Me Be Lonely" also penned by Bacharach/David charted in the Billboard Hot 100 as well and became one of many double-sided hits for Warwick. The tune became Warwick's biggest international hit peaking at #8 in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. The tune charted in France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and many other countries as well.
The track, featuring Gary Chester
Gary Chester
Gary Chester was one of the 20th century's busiest studio drummers. Gary is counted as one of the greats when it comes to studio session musicians. His work appears on thousands of tracks, including hundreds of hit records from the '50s, '60s and '70s...
on bass drum, was the last Dionne Warwick single to be recorded at New York City's Bell Studios. The tune was engineered by Ed Smith who devised the famous introduction to the tune by directly attaching a mike to the head of Chester's bass drum.
Burt Bacharach wrote the music for the song before Hal David wrote its lyrics which give narrative voice to a native of the northern California city of San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
who, having failed to break into the entertainment field in Los Angeles, is set to return to her hometown. David had a special interest in San Jose having been stationed there while in the navy.
Dionne Warwick advised Jet
Jet (magazine)
Jet is an American weekly marketed toward African-American readers, founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, Illinois...
in May 2002 that winning her first Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" – the Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Female
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
– was the overall highlight of her career. Nevertheless the singer said of "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" in a May 1983 interview with Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
: "It's a dumb song and I didn't want to sing it. But it was a hit, just like [her recent Top Ten hit] 'Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker (Dionne Warwick song)
"Heartbreaker" is a 1982 single released by American pop and soul singer Dionne Warwick. The song was written by The Bee Gees' Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, with Barry Gibb's distinctive backing vocal being heard on the chorus...
' is. I'm happy these songs were successful, but that still doesn't change my opinion about them."
"Do You Know the Way to San Jose" has also been recorded by Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
, The George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
Quintet, The Avalanches
The Avalanches
The Avalanches are an Australian electronic music group formed in 1997 with mainstays Robbie Chater on keyboards, Tony Diblasi on keyboards, bass and backing vocals, and Darren Seltmann on vocals and keyboards. They are known for their live DJ sets and their debut album Since I Left You , which was...
, The Baja Marimba Band
Baja Marimba Band
The Baja Marimba Band was a popular musical group led by marimba player Julius Wechter, initially intended by producer Herb Alpert to cash in on the "south of the border" craze started by his own Tijuana Brass...
, The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
and The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
together, Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Frankie Goes to Hollywood were a British dance-pop band popular in the mid-1980s. The group was fronted by Holly Johnson , with Paul Rutherford , Peter Gill , Mark O'Toole , and Brian Nash .The group's debut single "Relax" was banned by the BBC in 1984 while at number six in the charts and...
, The Starlite Orchestra, De Phazz
De Phazz
De Phazz is a downtempo jazz ensemble integrating modern turntablism and elements of soul, Latin, trip hop and drum and bass into a lounge music sound. De Phazz is led by Pit Baumgartner, a German producer who has varied the lineup of artists for every new album. Some regular members are Barbara...
, the Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
, the Ian Levine-produced group Croisette, and Stunt Monkey, a local San Jose punk band. Foreign language renderings of the song include "Snart Så Stiger Solen Upp Igen" by Siw Malmkvist
Siw Malmkvist
Siw "Siwan" Gunnel Margareta Malmkvist is a Swedish singer who is popular in Scandinavia and Germany...
and "La route du bonheur" by Liliane Saint-Pierre. Dionne Warwick herself recorded a new salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
version of the song in 1998 along with Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
and the Pete Escovedo Orchestra for her album Dionne Sings Dionne. The song remains one of Warwick's most popular numbers, and is included in almost every concert she performs.
From 1987 to 1995, then-ABC affiliate KNTV
KNTV
KNTV, channel 11, is the NBC owned-and-operated television station in the Bay Area market. It is licensed to San Jose, with its transmitter located on San Bruno Mountain, just south of San Francisco. It shares facilities in San Jose with NBC Universal sister station KSTS and CNBC's Silicon...
in San Jose had its news theme based on Do You Know the Way to San Jose.
In 2000, eBay, which coincidentally has its headquarters in San Jose, CA, produced a version of the song for a commercial in which the lyrics were changed to 'Do you know the way to use eBay?' In 2006 Dutch singer Trijntje Oosterhuis
Trijntje Oosterhuis
Judith Katrijntje "Trijntje" Oosterhuis is a Dutch pop and jazz singer.-Early life:Judith Katrijntje Oosterhuis was born on 5 February 1973, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands...
covered the song on her album "The Look of Love
The Look of Love (Trijntje Oosterhuis album)
The Look of Love is the fourth solo album of Trijntje Oosterhuis and the second jazz album by Trijntje and was released on November 20, 2006. The album was released in Japan on January 17, 2007 under the artist name Traincha with a bonus song "Anyone Who Had a Heart "...
" with The Metropole Orchestra, as a tribute to Burt Bacharach. Bacharach himself produced the album.
"Do You Know the Way to San Jose" was used in an advertising campaign for Guinness Irish Draught in Ireland and the UK and for the Chrysler-Dodge Corporation advertising the Dodge Charger and Challenger in 1968 and 1969.
The song is also played in the central area of Disney's California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort is a recreational resort in Anaheim, California. The resort is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks and Resorts division and is home to two theme parks, three hotels and a shopping, dining, and entertainment area known as Downtown Disney.The area now...
in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
as part of its loop of songs about California.
The title lyrics are also referred to in a line of "Santa Fe", a song from the Jonathan Larson musical Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
. The place name is changed in the lyrics from San Jose to Santa Fe, to accommodate the rest of the song. It was referenced in the 1997 film, My Best Friend's Wedding
My Best Friend's Wedding
My Best Friend's Wedding is a 1997 romantic comedy film directed by P. J. Hogan. It stars Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Dermot Mulroney, Rupert Everett, and Philip Bosco.The film received mostly positive reviews from critics...
where the title is sung briefly during a discussion the characters are having about Dionne Warwick, and then launching into "I Say a Little Prayer
I Say a Little Prayer
"I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967.-Background:...
." It was also used in the 1997 film "Shooting Fish."
| Do You Know The Way To San Jose/Dionne Warwick CHARTINGS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... *** Cash Box Top 100 |
Billboard R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
Billboard Easy Listening Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
AUSTRA- LIA Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
CANADA Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
IRELAND Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... |
UK United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
| #10 *** #10 | #23 | #4 | #15 | #8 | #8 | #8 |