I headed west to Barstow Left my family Dreamin' of sierra gold And livin' by the sea But the desert's so damn hot here And the water isn't free And this ain't what I thought California was supposed to be Oh, Barstow Oh, Barstow Your torture isn't fair I left my home for riches but there ain't gold nowhere Oh, Barstow Oh, Barstow I don't know what's keepin' me around The toughest godforsaken place that I have ever found I been workin' out in Barstow Every night and day I've been savin' up frustration and hidin' it away Somewhere in the blisterin' sun beneath the only tree This ain't what I thought California was supposed to be Oh, Barstow I am so exhausted it ain't fair I left my home for riches but there ain't gold nowhere Oh, Barstow I don't know what's keepin' me around The toughest godforsaken place that I have ever found