The singer proclaims that "one fine day, I'll find a way, to move from this old shack", presumably to be able to join the higher class members of society and finally be able to date the girl openly.
[6] In the summer of 1965, "Down in the Boondocks" launched the top 40 career of Billy Joe Royal, who had recorded the song a year earlier.
The session also yielded the original torch song "I Knew You When", plus, to serve as potential B-sides, covers of the hits "Oh, What a Night" (the Dells) and "Steal Away" (Jimmy Hughes).
Then it became a hit in Savannah - where Royal had spent two years headlining the iconic local club the Bamboo Ranch - "then, it went crazy everywhere else.
[20] Despite Royal making a three-day promotional visit to London in September 1965, "Down in the Boondocks" failed to become a major UK Singles Chart hit, stalling at number 38.
[21] "Down in the Boondocks" became a top 30 hit on the C&W chart in Billboard in 1969-70 via a remake by Freddy Weller who had been a sideman on the Billy Joe Royal recording.