The Heart of California (for Lowell George)

[Verse 1]
Running hard and running mean down the San Joaquin, Diamond REO with your crazy rolling wheels
There's a moon shining bright like a big eye in the night, yeah, throwed her light down on that road to Bakersfield

[Chorus]
Yeah, the heart of California's hauling hard times again
And the highway, she does not make amends
That diesel's got to howl, but the devil's on the prowl, and that white line gone, it won't come along again

[Verse 2]
Running wired and running fast, running out of gas, Diamond REO knows what empty means
And Jesus Christ on the dash won't keep it from the crash, if ever curve, it's just your nerves closing in

[Chorus]
Yeah, the heart of California's hauling hard times again
And the highway, she does not make amends
Your name's out on the door and your foot's down on the floor, that white line down, it won't come around again, yeah

[Verse 3]
Yeah, the REO's coming down outside of town, strung-out 'tween the asphalt and the wheel
And LA, she waits like a poisonous snake coiled up with her diamonds in the hills

[Chorus]
Yeah, the heart of California's hauling hard times again
And the highway, she does not make amends
That road you're running on's hellbent for Babylon and that white line down, it won't come around again
And that white line down will not be found again, yeah