The Ride

Well I was thumbin' from Montgomery

I had my guitar on my back

When a stranger stopped beside me in an antique Cadillac

Well he was dressed like 1950

Half drunk and hollow-eyed

He said"Its a long walk to Nashville

Would you like a ride son"

And well I sat down in the front seat he turned on the radio

Them sad old songs comin' out of them speakers was solid country gold

And I noticed the stranger was ghost-white pale

When he asked me for a light

And I knew there was something strange about this ride

He said"Drifter can ya make folks cry when you play and sing

Have you paid your dues can you moan the blues

Can you bend them guitar strings"

He said"Boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside

Cause if you're big star bound let me warn ya its a long hard ride"

Then he cried just south of Nashville

And he turned that car around

He said"This is where you get off boy

Cause I'm goin' back to Alabam'"

As I stepped out of that Cadillac

I said"Mister many thanks"

He said"You don't have to call me Mister Mister.

The whole world called me Hank

X2

If you're big star bound

Let me warn ya its a long hard ride