"Poor Side of Town" is a song by Johnny Rivers, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1966.

Song

It was a very important record for Johnny Rivers and represented a change of his initial music (characterized by a Go Go sound), that provided him with his early hits and acclaim. With "Poor Side of Town", Rivers moved into the pop-soul style.

The melody is a soulful version of California-based pop, with some strong folk elements as well. Marty Paich provided the song's string arrangement.

In his 2006 live album Eels with Strings: Live at Town Hall, Mark Oliver Everett (better known as Eels) recorded an acoustic version of the song backed by a mini orchestra.