10 Best Songs About Tulsa

Feature Photo: Mick Haupt

Tulsa, Oklahoma, holds a unique place in American history and culture, standing at the crossroads of the country’s past and its ever-evolving identity. Founded in the late 19th century, Tulsa began as a small settlement in Indian Territory but rapidly transformed into one of the wealthiest cities in the United States in the early 20th century after the discovery of oil. Known as the “Oil Capital of the World” throughout the early 1900s, Tulsa’s booming oil industry attracted a diverse population of entrepreneurs, laborers, and visionaries, each contributing to the city’s dynamic growth. However, Tulsa is also marked by the tragedy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, an event that profoundly shaped the city’s social and historical narrative. Today, Tulsa has become a beacon of cultural renaissance, embracing its complex history while celebrating its contributions to music, art, and American culture.

# 10 – The Heart of Rock & Roll – Huey Lewis and the News

“The Heart of Rock & Roll” by Huey Lewis and the News is an energetic anthem that celebrates the power and longevity of rock music across America, specifically highlighting cities known for their vibrant music scenes, including Tulsa. Released as the opening track of their 1983 album Sports and issued as the album’s third single in 1984, the song became one of the band’s defining hits, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Recorded in 1983 and produced by Huey Lewis and the News, the track features Huey Lewis on vocals and harmonica, Johnny Colla on guitar and saxophone, Bill Gibson on drums, Mario Cipollina on bass, Chris Hayes on lead guitar, and Sean Hopper on keyboards. The band’s tightness, known for its polished yet lively sound, shines through in this upbeat celebration of American rock and roll.

# 9 – W.O.L.D. – Harry Chapin

“W.O.L.D.” by Harry Chapin is a poignant narrative song from his 1973 album Short Stories, telling the bittersweet story of a middle-aged disc jockey reflecting on his life’s trajectory. Written by Chapin and produced by Paul Leka, the song captures the protagonist’s personal struggles, touching on lost love, aging, and the transient nature of a life spent moving from one radio job to another. The album featured Chapin on guitar and vocals, John Wallace on bass, Ronald Palmer on guitar, Paul Leka on keyboards, and other supporting musicians. “W.O.L.D.” reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of Chapin’s best-known story songs.

# 8 – Tulsa – Elle King

Elle King released “Tulsa” in January 2023 shortly before it appeared on her album Come Get Your Wife. The song blends country rock with King’s signature gritty, unapologetic vocal style, delivering a punchy narrative about betrayal, revenge, and independence. King co-wrote the song with Ella Langley, Bobby Hamrick, and Matt McKinney, while Ashley McBryde contributed background vocals and John Osborne played guitar. King co-wrote “Come Get Your Wife” with Ella Langley, Bobby Hamrick, and Matt McKinney, while Ashley McBryde contributed background vocals and John Osborne played guitar. King’s approach to “Tulsa” encapsulates her genre-blending style, pulling from rock, country, and blues traditions.

# 7 – Tulsa Queen – Emmylou Harris

Co-written by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, “Tulsa Queen” closes Harris’s 1977 album Luxury Liner with a story of loss and longing in which the Tulsa Queen becomes part train, part symbol of a relationship slipping away. Produced by Brian Ahern, the recording features Harris on vocals and acoustic guitar, Brian Ahern and Rodney Crowell on acoustic guitar, James Burton on electric guitar, Hank DeVito on pedal steel, Emory Gordy Jr. on bass, Glen D. Hardin on electric piano, John Ware on drums, Mickey Raphael on harmonica, and backing vocals from Fayssoux Starling and Herb Pedersen. The rich combination of country, folk, and rock musicians gives the song its melancholic yet graceful atmosphere.

Read More: Top 10 Emmylou Harris Songs

# 6 – Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa – Gene Pitney

Released in 1963, “Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa” became one of Gene Pitney’s most memorable hits. Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and produced by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold, the song pairs Pitney’s distinctive tenor with the dramatic melodic and orchestral style associated with the Bacharach-David songwriting partnership. Its narrative follows a traveler who, while only a day away from Tulsa and home, becomes involved in a new romance and decides not to return. The song became a major success, reaching No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

# 5 – Jack Straw – Grateful Dead

“Jack Straw” appears on the Grateful Dead’s 1972 live album Europe ’72. Written by Bob Weir and lyricist Robert Hunter, the song tells a dark and complex story about two outlaws traveling through the American West and Midwest, with Tulsa among the locations referenced. The version released on Europe ’72 was recorded on May 3, 1972, at the Olympia Theatre in Paris and features Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia sharing vocals, with Garcia on lead guitar, Weir on rhythm guitar, Phil Lesh on bass, Bill Kreutzmann on drums, and Keith Godchaux on keyboards. The song became a long-running staple of the band’s live repertoire.

Read More: Top 10 Grateful Dead Albums

# 4 – Take Me Back to Oklahoma – Chubby Checker

“Take Me Back to Oklahoma” by Chubby Checker highlights a country-oriented side of an artist best known for dance hits such as “The Twist.” The song does not appear on Checker’s 1964 Chubby’s Folk Album; Checker’s official catalog instead lists it among the songs associated with The Texas Twist Country Album, and it has also appeared in his live repertoire. The track gives Checker a chance to move beyond the dance-floor sound that made him famous and into a more roots-oriented setting built around his longing to return to Oklahoma.

Read More: Top 10 Chubby Checker Songs

# 3 – Tulsa County – The Byrds

“Tulsa County” was issued on The Byrds’ 1969 album Ballad of Easy Rider. Written by Pamela Polland and previously recorded by her group The Gentle Soul, the song fit naturally into the country-rock direction The Byrds had embraced by the end of the 1960s. The Byrds recorded the song in July 1969 with Terry Melcher producing. The lineup included Roger McGuinn on guitar and vocals, Clarence White on lead guitar, Gene Parsons on drums, and John York on bass. The track reflects the band’s continuing movement away from its earlier folk-rock identity toward the country influences that had become increasingly important since Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

# 2 – Home Sweet Oklahoma – Leon Russell

“Home Sweet Oklahoma” by Leon Russell is a rollicking tribute to Russell’s home state, released on his 1971 album Leon Russell and the Shelter People. The song was recorded at Island Studios in London in August 1970 rather than in Tulsa, and Russell and Denny Cordell produced the album. Blending rock, blues, gospel, and country influences, the track reflects Russell’s deep connection to Oklahoma and to the Tulsa musical tradition that shaped his early career. The song had already appeared as a Shelter single in 1970 before appearing on the album the following year.

Read More: Top 10 Leon Russell Songs

# 1 – Tulsa Time – Eric Clapton

We close out our list with “Tulsa Time” by Eric Clapton. Written by Danny Flowers and first recorded by Don Williams, the song was also recorded by Clapton for his 1978 album Backless. Clapton’s version was recorded at Olympic Studios in London and produced and engineered by Glyn Johns. The musicians included Eric Clapton on guitar and vocals, George Terry on guitar, Carl Radle on bass, Jamie Oldaker on drums and percussion, Dick Sims on keyboards, and Marcy Levy on vocals. Several of those musicians were closely associated with the Tulsa Sound, giving Clapton’s country-rock version of “Tulsa Time” an especially fitting place at the top of this list.

Read More: Top 10 Eric Clapton Love Songs