THE RIDE
I was thumbin' back from Montgomery
With a guitar on my back
When a stranger pulled up beside me
In an antique Cadillac
Well he was dressed like 1950
Half drunk and hollow eyed
Its a long walk to Nashville would you like a ride
He sat down in the front seat
And turned on the radio
And the sad ol' songs comin' outta them speakers
Was solid country gold
Then I noticed the stranger was ghost white pale
When he asked me for a light
And knew there was somethin' strange about this ride
He said mister can you make folks cry
When you play and sing
Can you pay your dues can you moan the blues
Can you bend them guitar strangs
He said boy can you make folks feel
What you feel inside
'Cause if your big star bound let me warn you
It's a long hard ride
Well he stopped just south of Nashville
And he turned that car around
He said this is where you get off boy
'Cause I'm going back to Alabam
I stepped out of that ol' Cadillac
And I said mister many thanks
He said you don't have to call me mister mister
The whole world calls me Hank