"Do You Know the Way to San Jose" is a 1968 popular song written and composed for singer Dionne Warwick by Burt Bacharach. Hal David wrote the lyrics. The song was Warwick's biggest international hit to that point, selling several million copies worldwide and winning Warwick her first Grammy Award. David's lyrics tell the story of a native of San Jose, California who, having failed to break into the entertainment field in Los Angeles, is set to return to her hometown. The song was released on the 1968 RIAA Certified Gold albumDionne 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 " Valley of the Dolls"/ "I Say a Little Prayer" in April 1968. It became Warwick's third consecutive Top Ten song in the closing months of 1967 and into 1968, punctuating the most successful period of Warwick's recording career. The song peaked at #8 in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. It also charted highly in France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Lebanon, Japan, and many other countries throughout the world. The single was one of the most successful of Warwick's international hits, selling over 3,500,000 copies worldwide. 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.
Production
Bacharach had composed the music for the song before David wrote its lyrics. David had a special interest in San Jose, having been stationed there while in the Navy. The track was the last Dionne Warwick single to be recorded at New York City's Bell Studios. It features a prominent use of bass drum, played by session musician Gary Chester. The engineer was Ed Smith, who devised the famous introduction to the tune by directly attaching a mike to the head of Chester's bass drum. Warwick did not like "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," and she had to be convinced to record it. In a May 1983 interview with Ebony, she said: "It's a dumb song and I didn't want to sing it. But it was a hit, just like 'Heartbreaker' is. I'm happy these songs were successful, but that still doesn't change my opinion about them." Though she still does not like it, the song remains one of Warwick's most popular chart selections, and she still includes it in almost every concert she performs.
During the early and mid-1990s, San Jose-based KNTV used the first notes of the song in its news theme.
In 1968 through 1969, the Chrysler-Dodge Corporation used the tune to promote the Dodge Challenger and Charger in television commercials airing in the USA and Canada.
In the film The Scout, the character played by Brendan Fraser listens to the song on headphones while flying and disturbs other flyers by singing it off-key.
The song was one of many California related songs played throughout "Sunshine Plaza" in the original Disney California Adventure.
The song opens and closes the pilot episode of Helix, in each case playing over tense scenes featuring Peter Farragut. The song appears again in the opener of Helix Season 2 when Julia arrives to the island.
The San Jose Earthquakes play the song after each home game at Earthquakes Stadium.
The song was parodied on an episode of MadTV entitled "Ebay" based on eBay commercials with the lyrics "Do you know the way to use eBay?"
