"You Came a Long Way from St. Louis" - Della Reese - St. Louis, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 37.440 W 090° 11.101
15S E 745061 N 4278812
This song has been performed by Marvyn Gaye, Mary Wells, Rosemary Clooney, etc..
Waymark Code: WM10KKA
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 05/23/2019
Views: 8
County of song: St. Louis Independent City
Location of song: center city, St. Louis
Composer: Bob Russell, lyrics
Composer: John B. Brooks, score
Artists: Della Reese
Composed: 1964
"Your high-class ways and fancy airs don't fool Della Reese, pal. At least for this song, she's from Missouri too, and she can spot a climber and striver as good as any. Bob Russell knew what he was talking about when he wrote the lyrics; he attended Washington University (rooming with writer Sidney Sheldon for a time), and though the song has been covered by the likes of Rosemary Clooney and Marvin Gaye, it's Reese's cut that practically spits fire. The song closes out the singer's 1964 live album Della Reese at Basin Street East, and fittingly so: it's hard to imagine anything topping it, especially because Reese commands the band to take it again from the bridge after receiving a well-earned ovation." ~ Christian Schaeffer, The Riverfront Times
The Lyrics:
You came a long way from St. Louis,
You climbed the ladder of success,
I've seen the town and country cars
That were parked out in front of your fancy address.
You came a long way from St. Louis,
You broke a lotta hearts between,
I've seen a gang of gloomy gals
Who were doing alright till you came on the scene.
You came here from the middle west,
And certainly impressed the population hereabouts.
Well, baby, I got news for you, I'm from Missouri too.
So natcherly I got my doubts, you got `em dropping by the wayside,
A feeling I ain't gonna know.
You came a long way from St. Louis,
But baby, you still got a long way to go.
Listen to Della sing: You Came a Long Wat From St. Louis