Going Back West

The speaker leaves an unsatisfying life in search of a chance to succeed as a musician. A businessman promises help and stardom, but the promise fails, leaving the speaker disappointed and unsure what might have happened. The mood then shifts from regret toward determination: returning west becomes a way to start again and trust in a better future.

Several expressions show how the speaker was let down. “The joke was on me” means the speaker was the one who suffered from a trick or foolish situation, not that something was simply funny. “They took me for a ride” suggests that the businessmen deceived or exploited the speaker. In contrast, “hold my head up high” means to keep one’s dignity despite the setback. The repeated image of going back west is both a real journey and a symbol of returning to a place where the speaker hopes to make music and feel at home.

The song presents the return as hopeful, but not as proof that success is guaranteed. The speaker says they know they will “make out alright,” which sounds confident, yet the repeated reassurance may also suggest a need to encourage themself after a painful year. “Where my music’s playing all night” could mean a welcoming place to perform, or simply the life the speaker still wants.