Sure can get lost On these empty Texas highways. You can forget who you are When you wake up somewhere different every day. I don't believe in God but I often feel the need to pray, Sure can get lost on these empty highways. Sure can get lonesome In these small Texas towns. You can forget what it was ever like To have a friend around. When the sun's coming up And you're just coming down, Sure can get lonely in these small towns. They say to live every day Like it was the last one, Then you use up everything And there's still so many more days to come. Bridges burn so easily And ties that bind come undone. They say live every day like it was your last one. It's been so strange and sad Through all these many years. My wildest dreams came true And so did my worst fears. If only the ones that are gone now Were still here. It's been so strange and sad through all these years. Sure can get lost on these empty Texas highways No sacrifices left, And no more debts to pay. There is little else to be done And nothing more to say. Easy to get lost on these empty highways

Roll on rushing river, Roll on your way. Don't you tell nobody How I been living these days. When I left my home I do not know what I thought that I would find. There's aching in my bones, mama And there's trouble in my mind.... On the shores of Vicksburg They had a battle long ago.... On a trail in California There were some people lost in snow.... I keep on pushing forward, mama I keep trying to make a stand. And when my neighbor's down and reaching up I guess i try and lend a hand.... For the journey home Is light years long, Heaven is farther than it seems. O, the stars go twinkling on Life is but a dream.... Roll on rushing river, Roll across the county line. I think I done my best mama, But it's hard to tell sometimes. I'm looking to the west now At the path ahead of me... Some people carved a trail out there one time, All the way out to the sea... And the ocean floor Is clean and cold And black beneath the blue and green. Shimmering, we swim along, Gently down the stream.... O, you rushing river, Well you roll so goddamned fast... The days go drifting by And the hours flutter past. I think from time to time Of all the things that I have made... I'll find myself a quiet spot, And lay me down in the shade.... As the mystery Goes twirling on Above the trees and galaxies. And to me It sings it's song Light and merrily.....

I ain't gonna work 'til I'm in my grave, I ain't no houseboy, ain't no slave! Goin' right to the top, with holes in my shoes, I ain't gonna pay no dues! Gonna walk right up to the big boss man say "I don't want nothin' out yer greasy hand! You ain't got a damn thing I can use And I ain't gonna pay no dues!" I ain't gonna pay Ain't gonna pay I know what your thinkin' I know what they say..... But buddy there ain't no way. I ain't gonna walk on the well-trodden trail, Everyday work is like being in jail! Light me on up, and pass me the booze I ain't gonna pay no dues! Gonna blaze me a path like a forest fire And just when you thought I can't get no higher Gonna strap myself in And light that fuse.... I ain't gonna pay no dues!

Let's ride the Drunken Highway With the moonlight shining down Take the chains off of your ankles Turn away from this town. Melt down the gold and silver Throw your letters in the fire Tear the hinges off the door and Jump the fences, cut the wires. It takes a little while Before the sunshine and smiles Let's ride the Drunken Highway for at least a thousand miles. Let's ride the Drunken Highway To the moon and to the stars Shake the chains off of your heart now, Turn away from who you are. Pour the ashes from the jar and Leave the shovel in the ground. Tell the ghosts to leave you be, If they try and come around. They understand In some far away land. Let's ride the Drunken Highway Across the ocean, if we can. Years will go by But I know we won't mind, We'll be singing and carrying on. The campfire light Will always burn bright, Let's ride on this highway 'Til the shadows are gone. Let's ride the Drunken Highway To the east and to the west. Past the cities and the people And the homes that we left. Pour the whiskey on the wound, Then go ahead and pass it 'round, Break the bottle, sing along To that good old-time sound. Glory be the name Of that westbound train, Let's ride the Drunken Highway 'Til we all go insane. Let's ride the Drunken Highway So our stories can be told: How we slayed the mighty dragons And walked along the streets of gold. Put the message in the bottle, Float it on the open sea. If I ain't here in the morning, Then you know where I'll be. All you boys and girls, All you sapphires and pearls, Let's ride the Drunken Highway To the end of this world.

I suppose I believed That the ancient, great cities Were waiting for me At the edge of a dream. So I slept away The bitter cold days. Well, shame on me, Shame on me. I broke a covenant And covered my tracks. And I left on the back Of a dying mare. And if anyone knows Just where I plan to go Well I just don't care, I don't care. I cannot sing The songs you want to hear. I cannot raise Great temples from sand. I cannot say The words to bring you near. Where is your hand, dear, Where is your hand? I rode far and wide To the rivers other side. Then I saw the tribe Who worship the sun. They looked upon me With great sorrow and pity And said "From where have you come, boy, From where have you come?" I have been reckless And I have been cruel. I've expected of you More than was right. In this strange land, I stand A misguided fool. Where are you tonight, dear, Where do you sleep tonight? And so I turned back, Erasing my tracks And all that I lack, How clear it's become. I travel by night And sleep in the light, Away from the people Who worship the sun.

These billboards here can drive you insane. Move on over into the passing lane, Keep the foot on the pedal, Eyes on the lines And your mind under control. There are lies on the radio, On every frequency that I go to. Seems they think I must've just forgot about Rock n' Roll. This great road here leads away from Hell, Locked my keys in the car, outside of the Taco Bell. So many words are lingering on, People say so many damn things... Exxon, Chevron, Texaco, Gas station coffee gets you ready to go Cross the country, through the desert To the ocean, through the fire, Through the pain that memory brings. I'll pay a visit to all those I know, Sure as the traffic flows Like stones in a river We cut a path right across the Great Divide. All my friends across this land: Sing out, walk proud, break down, clap hands! Some have been through Hell, Some are doing real well, Some have given birth, Some died. You don't have to call We don't gotta talk at all, I'll just keep on this roll..... They're building bigger everyday If you can, better get out of the way And protect your lonesome soul. The world is moving on, But I will stay awhile On the sunlit highway miles, In the time of youth. The Earth is passing on. All things are dying young But I will carry on In memory of a quiet time And simple truth. Well, the further and faster that you drive The more you're gonna see of the countryside. Telephone poles mark the sign of the cross Along a million miles of wire. Angry spirits calling out from the badlands Blackened bones at the scene of the last stand. Smoke in the sunset, I think over there There's a farmhouse on fire. Over time, mistakes are easy to forget And then it happens again goddamn it, How many times will it take to remember? How many times will it take to remember? The beauty of change is the highway song, And all summer we've been singing along, From California to New Mexico In the warm heart of September. It's a long, old road. O God, where does it go? The world is moving on, But I will stay awhile On the sunlit highway miles, In the time of youth. The Earth is passing on. All things are dying young But I will carry on In memory of a quiet time And simple truth

Clouds gonna cover they sky When the king snake opens his eyes. You gonna wish it was all lie. But there ain't No escape Don't you even try. The earth gonna tremble and moan When the king snake leaves his home. Moving swift up your dry backbone. Do you hear The grinding gears And the tumbling stones? The oceans gonna twist and roll When the king snake leaves his hole. Gonna shake your very soul. You will be believe When you see How I told you so. It is written in an ancient tongue How he would come And swing his jaws open To swallow the moon and the sun. There ain't no use in crying now, people, What's done is done.... Black smoke gonna fill up the air When the king snake leaves his lair. It'll blind your eyes And grey up your hair When you see him crawling everywhere....

Don't burden yourself with these New Year's blues. All of them old times Is just old news. Got to find something better to do, Than to burden yourself, Don't burden yourself. Offer yourself a helping hand. Go on and tell yourself that you understand. Go out and get it any way you can, Offer yourself a helping hand. Climb on up to the top of the tree Balance on the branches, Look out at the sea. There's different ideas of what it means to be free, Climb on up, look out at the sea. There's a new sun rising and last night dying. Plenty of time if you make up your mind. A new sun rising A new sun rising. You're not too old yet, So quit your crying. Find yourself A better way, Don't be listening to what they all say. Ain't no rules that you have to obey, Just find yourself A better way. Let yourself do whatever you feel. Don't take no orders, Don't make no deals. It is real If you say it is real, Do what you want, Don't make no deals. Climb on up to the top of the tree Swing from the branches, Right into the sea. Nobody knows what it means to be free, Climb on up, look out at the sea.

One thing I know for sure is I don't ever wanna die. I wasted too much time I got to start at the beginning, I need a whole other life time. I keep waiting on that song That's gonna save me. I keep waiting on that one Gonna turn it around. And I know it seems sometimes Like we ain't got no future left, And we'll never know if we even ever had a chance. We got to run away. We got to run, run away. We got to run like the devil, run like the wind, Go out of our minds, Jump out our skin, Leave it behind And strike me blind if I look back. Can't dream away no more, We been losing ground Got to stay high now, no more coming down. I can't stop now, I got too much speed, I got the wind at my back. I got to lose these blues tonight or I don't know what... These high times in the city lights Are gonna lift me up. These bright nights Are gonna bring me on back to you.