I was takin a trip out to L.A.
Toolin along in my Cheverolet
Tokin on a number and diggin on the radio
Just as I crossed the Mississippi line
I heard that highway start to whine
And I knew that left rear tire was about to blow
Well the spare was flat and I got uptight
Cause there wasn't a filling station in sight
So I just limped on down the shoulder on the rim
I went as far as I could and when I stopped the car
It was right in front of this little bar
Kind of a red-neck lookin joint called the Dew Drop Inn
I stuffed my hair up under my hat
And told the bartender that I had a flat
And would he be kind enough to give me change for a one
There was one thing I was sure proud to see
There wasn't a soul in the place except for him and me
He just looked disgusted and pointed toward the telephone
I called up the station down the road a ways
He said he wasn't very busy today
And he could have someone out there in just about 10 minutes or so
He said, "Now, you just stay right where yer at!"
And I didn't bother to tell the darn fool
That I sure as hell didn't have anyplace else to go
I just ordered up a beer and sat down at the bar
When some guy walked in and said, "Who owns this car
With the peace sign, the mag wheels and the four on the floor?"
He looked at me and I damn near died
And I decided that I'd just wait outside
So I laid a dollar on the bar and headed for the door
Just when I thought I'd get outta there with my skin
These 5 big dudes come strollin in
With one old drunk chick and some fella with green teeth
I was almost to the door when the biggest one
Said, "You tip your hat to this lady, son!"
And when I did, all that hair fell out from underneath
Now the last thing I wanted was to get into a fight
In Jackson Mississippi on a Saturday night
Especially when there was three of them and only one of me
They all started laughin and I felt kinda sick
And I knew I better think of something pretty quick
So I just reached out and kicked old green teeth right in the knee
Now he let out a yell that'd curl yer hair
But before he could move I grabbed me a chair
And said "Now watch him Folks cause he's a thoroughly dangerous man!"
"You may not know it but this man is a spy.
He's a undercover agent for the FBI
And he's been sent down here to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan!"
He was still bent over holdin on to his knee
But everybody else was looking and listening to me
And I laid it on thicker and heavier as I went
I said, "Would you believe this man has gone as far
As tearing Wallace stickers off the bumpers of cars.
And he voted for George McGovern for President."
"Well, he's a friend of them long haired, hippy-type, pinko fags!
I betchya he's even got a commie flag
tacked up on the wall inside of his garage."
"He's a snake in the grass, I tell ya guys.
He may look dumb but that's just a disguise,
He's a mastermind in the ways of espionage"
They all started lookin real suspicious at him
And he jumped up and said "Now just wait a minute Jim!
You know he's lying I been living here all of my life!"
"I'm a faithful follower of Brother John Birch
And I belong to the Antioch Baptist Church.
And I ain't even got a garage, you can call home and ask my wife!"
Then he started saying somethin bout the way I was dressed
But I didn't wait around to hear the rest
I was too busy moving and hoping I didn't run outta luck
When I hit the ground I was making tracks
And they were just taking my car down off the jacks
So I threw the man a twenty and jumped in and fired that mother up
Mario Andretti wouldda sure been proud
Of the way I was movin when I passed that crowd
Coming out the door and headed toward me at a trot
And I guess I should of gone ahead and run
But somehow I just couldn't resist the fun
Of chasing them all just once around the parking lot
Well they headed for their car, but i hit the gas
And spun around and headed them off at the pass
I was slinging gravel and putting a ton of dust in the air
I had them all out there steppin and fetchin
Like their heads was on fire and their asses was catchin
then I figgered I had better go ahead and split before the cops got there
When I hit the road I was really wheelin
Had gravel flyin and rubber squeelin
And I didn't slow down till I was almost to Arkansas
I think I'm gonna reroute my trip
I wonder if anybody'd think I'd flipped
If I went to L.A., via Omaha
Music
A Decade of Hits (1983)
-
1
The Devil Went Down to Georgia
The Devil went down to Georgia. He was lookin' for a soul to steal.
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind. He was willing to make a deal
When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot.
And the Devil jumped upon a hickory stump and said "Boy, let me tell you what."
"I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player, too.
And if you'd care to take a dare I'll make a bet with you.
Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the Devil his due.
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul 'cause I think I'm better than you."
The boy said, "My name's Johnny, and it might be a sin,
But I'll take your bet; and you're gonna regret 'cause I'm the best there's ever been."
Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.
'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia and the Devil deals the cards.
And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold,
But if you lose the devil gets your soul.
The Devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show."
And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow.
And he pulled the bow across the strings and it made an evil hiss.
And a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this.
When the Devil finished, Johnny said, "Well, you're pretty good ol' son,
But sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done."
"Fire on the Mountain." Run, boys, run!
The Devil's in the house of the rising sun;
Chicken's in the bread pan picking out dough.
Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, no.
The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat.
And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet.
Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back. If you ever wanna try again,
I done told you once—you son of a bitch—I'm the best that's ever been."
And he played:
"Fire on the Mountain." Run, boys, run!
The Devil's in the house of the rising sun;
The chicken's in the bread pan picking out dough.
Granny, will your dog bite? No, child, no.
-
2
The South's Gonna Do It (Again)
Well, the train to Grinderswitch is runnin' right on time
And them Tucker Boys are cookin' down in Caroline
People down in Florida can't be still�
When ol' Lynyrd Skynyrd's pickin' down in Jacksonville
People down in Georgia come from near and far
To hear Richard Betts pickin' on that red guitar
[Chorus:]
So gather 'round, gather 'round chillun'
Get down, well just get down chillun'
Get loud, well you can be loud and be proud
Well you can be proud, hear now
Be proud you're a rebel
'Cause the South's gonna do it again and again
Elvin Bishop sittin' on a bale of hay
He ain't good lookin', but he sure can play
And there's ZZ Top and you can't forget
That old brother Willie's gettin' soakin' Wet
And all the good people down in Tennessee
Are diggin' Barefoot Jerry and CDB
[Chorus]
So gather 'round, gather 'round chillun'
Get down, well just get down chillun'
Get loud, well you can be loud and be proud
Well you can be proud, hear now
Be proud you're a rebel
'Cause the South's gonna do it again and again -
3
Stroker's Theme
Stroker Ace was born to race�
He had a mean streak two feet wide�
A son of a gun with a taste for fun and more than his share of pride�
Take a dirt road curve with a devils nerve�
Make a car dance across the mud�
And haulin� shine was his regular line till the track got in his blood�
Was a real hot shot and he bragged a lot, but man that fool could drive�
Cause he loved the feel of the steering wheel and the girls with bedroom eyes�
And in a race of time or a bar room fight, Ol� Stroker stole the show�
A back stretch blazer, a real hell raiser and a racetrack Romeo�
Mama lock your daughters up�
That vile bunch is back in town�
And them little girls get frisky when they hear that racecar sound�
They�re bringing out the yellow flag; somebody�s brakes have failed�
There�s an alsike on the inside and a wreck along the rail�
You�d better stand on it Stroker cause a bandit�s on your tail�
It�s a dynamite joy for a country boy when he hears them engines moan�
But you�ve gotta hang tough when it gets real rough when you�re out there on your own�
Cause they�ll push you down, they�ll knock you down, they�ll shove you up against the wall�
And you always know when the engine blows that a man can�t win �em all�
You can push that car just a little too far any Sunday afternoon�
And if you�d break your neck in some damn fool wreck they�d forget about you soon�
But Ol� Stroker Ace was born to race�
And it�s worth all the trying�
Just the dirt champagne in the victory lane and to hear that concrete whine�
Stroker get your dander up this aint no time to laugh�
You�ve got to make the lap up if you�re gonna take that checkered flag�
Number 10 is closin� in to even up the score�
It�s time to wave bye bye and put the pedal on the floor�
You�d better stand on it Stroker cause your blowin� off their doors�
Blow their doors off Stroker�
Stand on it, son�
Ahh, you good lookin� devil you -
4
Uneasy Rider
5Let It Roll
When I was a boy on my daddys knee
thats when he said these words to me,
said listen to what I'm gonna tell you son,
and you can help the world go round.
dont climb no mountain cause you might slip,
and i know you'll drown if saving ships,
heres a gutair all shiny and red,
and it makes a magic sound.roll, roll, let it roll,
let it flood down to your soul,
let it talk, let it swing,
play that music, let it ring.now you can pick buddy holly,
chuck berry to, and you can do anything that you wanna do,
wont cause no harm, and never started no wars,
and it sounds like father rain.
they can call it county, they can call it rock,
but I'll play this supper till the day I drop,
if you got any troubles just tune on in
cause it'll ease away your pain.roll, roll, let it roll,
let it flood down to your soul,
let it talk, let it swing,
play that music, let it ring.some folks get them college degrees,
and then they open up an office
and they charge big fees,
I never was good for much at all,
except for playin kinda loud.
I could feel it in my feet, hear it in my head,
I even played that music when I'm laying in bed,
it never did get me anywhere at all, but it makes me kinda proud.roll, roll, let it roll,
let it flood down to your soul,
let it talk, let it swing,
play that music, let it ring.come on and roll, roll, let it roll,
let it flood down to your soul,
let it talk, let it swing,
play that music, let it ring.6In America
Well the eagle's been flyin' slow
And the flag's been flyin' low
And a lot of people sayin' that America's fixin' to fall
Well speakin' just for me
And some people from Tennessee
We've got a thing or two to tell you all
This lady may have stumbled
But she ain't never fell
And if the Russians don't believe that
They can all go straight to hell
We're gonna put her feet back
On the path of righteousness and then
God bless America again
[CHORUS]
And you never did think
That it ever would happen again (In America, did you?)
You never did think
That we'd ever get together again
(We damn sure fooled you)
Yeah, we're walkin' real proud
And we're talkin' real loud again (In America)
You never did think
That it ever would happen again
From The Sound up in Long Island
Out to San Francisco Bay
And everything that's in between them is our own
And we may have done a little bit
Of fightin' amongst ourselves
But you outside people best leave us alone
'Cause we'll all stick together
And you can take that to the bank
That's the cowboys and the hippies
And the rebels and the yanks
You just go and lay your hand
On a Pittsburgh Steelers' fan
And I think you're gonna finally understand
[CHORUS]
And you never did think
That it ever would happen again (In America, did you?)
You never did think
That we'd ever get together again
(We damn sure fooled you)
Yeah, we're walkin' real proud
And we're talkin' real loud again (In America)
You never did think
That it ever would happen again
[Instrumental]
[CHORUS]
And you never did think
That it ever would happen again (In America, did you?)
You never did think
That we'd ever get together again
(We damn sure fooled you)
Yeah, we're walkin' real proud
And we're talkin' real loud again (In America)
You never did think
That it ever would happen again7Still In Saigon
Written By Dan DaleyGot on a plane in 'Frisco
And got off in Vietnam
I walked into a different world
The past forever gone
I could have gone to Canada
Or I could have stayed in school
But I was brought up differently
I couldn't break the rules
Thirteen months and fifteen days
The last ones were the worst
One minute I'd kneel down and pray
And the next I'd stand and curse
No place to run to
Where I did not feel that war
When I got home I stayed alone
And checked behind each door
Cuz I'm still in Saigon
Still in Saigon
I am still in Saigon
In my mind
The ground at home was covered in snow
And I was covered in sweat
My younger brother calls me a killer
And my daddy calls me a vet
Everybody says I'm someone else
And I'm sick and there's no cure
Damned if I know who I am
There was only one place I was sure
When I was still in Saigon
Still in saigon
I am still in saigon
In my mind
Every summer when it rains
I smell the jungle, I hear the planes
I can't tell no one, I feel ashamed
Afraid some day I'll go insane
That's been ten long years ago
And time has gone on by
Now and then I catch myself
Eyes searching through the sky
All the sounds of long ago
Will be forever in my head
Mingled with the wounded cries
And the silence of the dead
'Cuz I'm still in Saigon
Still in Saigon
I am still in Saigon
In my mind
I am still in Saigon
I am still in Saigon
Yes, I'm still in Saigon
In my mind8Long Haired Country Boy
People say I'm no good, and crazy as a loon
'Cause I get stoned in the mornin', I get drunk in the afternoon
Kinda like my old blue tick hound, I like to lay around in the shade
And I ain't got no money, but I damn sure got it made
'Cause I ain't askin' nobody for nothin'
If I can't get it on my own
If you don't like the way I'm livin'
You just leave this long haired country boy alone
Preacher man talking on TV, puttin' down the rock and roll
Wants me to send a donation, 'cause he's worried about my soul
He said, "Jesus walked on the water.", and I know that it's true
But sometimes I think that preacher man, would like to do a little walkin' too
But I ain't askin' nobody for nothin'
If I can't get it on my own
If you don't like the way I'm livin'
You just leave this long haired country boy alone
A poor girl wants to marry, a rich girl wants to flirt
A rich man goes to college, a poor man goes to work
A drunkard wants another drink of wine, and a politician wants your vote
I don't want much of nothing at all, but I will take another toke
'Cause I ain't asking nobody for nothin'
If I can't get it on my own
If you don't like the way I'm livin'
You just leave this long haired country boy alone9The Legend of Wooley Swamp
If you ever go back in Wooly Swamp son you better not go at night
There's things out there in the middle of them woods
That make a strong man die from fright
There's things that crawl and things that fly
And things that creep around on the ground
And they say the ghost of Lucias Clay gets up and it walks around
[Chorus:]
But I couldn't believe it, I just had to find out for myself
And I couldn't conceive it, I never would listen to nobody else
No I couldn't believe it, I just had to find out for myself
That there's some things in this world you just can't explain
The old man lived in the Wooly Swamp way back in the gurgling woods
And he never did do a lot of harm in the world
But he never did do no good
People didn't think too much of him
They all thought he acted funny
The old man didn't care about people anyway
All he cared about was his money
He'd stuff it all down in Mason jars and bury it all around
But on certain nights if the moon was right
He'd dig it up out of the ground
He'd pour it all out on the floor of his shack
And run his fingers through it
Old Lucias Clay was a greedy old man
And that's all there ever was to it
[Chorus]
The Crayton boys were white trash they lived over on Parvis Creek
They were a real snake and sneaky as a cat
And belligerent when they'd speak
One night the oldest brother said ya'll meet in the Wooly Swamp later
We'll get old Lucias' money and we'll pitch him to the alligators
They found the old man out in the back with a shovel in his hand
And thirteen rusty Mason jars he just dug up out of the sand
And they all went crazy and they beat the old man
Then they picked him up off the ground
Then they threw him in the swamp and they stood there and laughed
Till the black water sucked him down
Then they turned around and went back to the shack
And they picked up the money and ran
But they hadn't gone nowhere when they realized
They were running in quicksand
And they struggled and screamed but they couldn't get away
Then just before they were gone
They could hear that old man laughing
In a voice that was loud and strong
Now that's been fifty years ago an' if you go back by there again
There's a spot in the yard in back of that shack
Where the ground is always wet
And on certain nights if the moon is right
And you're down by the dark footpath
You can hear three young men screaming
And you can hear that old man laugh
[Repeat verse 1]
[Chorus]10Every Time I See Him
Thinks he's a tough guy
Superfly
Stays high
Sneakin' down the alleyway to make another buy
Talkin' 'bout a big deal
Big wheel
Nothin's real
Wouldn't know the truth if it looked him in the eyeSneakin' out the back door
Top floor
Dirt poor
You know the boys gonna get hisself in jail
Living on the back street
Concrete
Fast feet
Lost in the jungle with the tiger by the tailEverytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's just barely getting by
And everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's down there getting highMidnight siren
What's it mean
Bad dreams
Shiverin' and shakin' in the middle of the night
Doin' that cold sweat
In debt
Upset
Hidin' in the back room keepin' out of sightWalkin' that tough walk
Jive talk
Double cross
Sneakin' down the side street hidin' from the sun
Makin' them big plans
Business man
Also-ran
Gonna make a million but he never gets it doneEverytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's just barely getting by
And everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's down there getting highThinks he's a lover boy
Super joy
Tough toy
Thinks he's kinda sexy but the ladies say he ain't
Nothing but a no class
Jiveass
Movin' fast
Wants to be a winner but the money says he can'tAfter hours nightspot
Whatcha got
Hot shot
Gotta keep movin' just to keep from going down
The boy won't ever learn
Slow burn
Overturn
End up in a coffin buiried six feet in the groundEverytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's just barely getting by
And everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's down there getting highEverytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's just barely getting by
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
Everytime I see him
He's down there getting high