The Ride

I was thumbing from Montgomery Had my guitar on my back When a stranger stopped beside me in an antique Cadillac He was dressed like 1950, half drunk and hollow-eyed Said, "It's a long walk to Nashville, would you like a ride, son?" I sat down in the front seat and turned on the radio And the sounds coming out of them speakers was solid country gold Then I noticed the stranger was ghost-white pale when he asked me for a light Then I knew there was something strange about this ride He said, "Drifter, can you 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 you it's a long, hard ride" A long, hard ride Well, he cried just south of Nashville And he turned that car around He said "This is where you get off boy 'Cause I'm headin' 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 calls me Hank" He said, "Drifter, can you 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 you it's a long, hard ride" He said, "Drifter, can you make folks cry You can play then 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 you it's a long, hard ride 'Cause if you're big star bound let me warn you it's a long, hard ride" 'Cause if you're big star bound, it's a long, hard ride Long, hard ride 'Cause if you're big star bound Let me warn you it's a long, hard ride It's a long, hard ride