The Ride

[Verse 1]
Well, I was thumbin' from Montgomery
I 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
He said, "It's a long walk to Nashville
Would you like a ride, son?"

[Verse 2]
And I sat down in the front seat
He turned on the radio
And the sounds comin' out of them speakers
Was solid country gold
Then I noticed the stranger was ghost-white pale
When he asked me for a light
And I know there was something strange
About this ride

[Chorus]
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 ya:
It's a long, hard ride"

[Post-Chorus]
It's a long, hard ride

[Verse 3]
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 Alabama-bound"
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"

[Chorus]
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 ya:
It's a long, hard 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 ya:
It's a long, hard ride"

[Outro]
'Cause if you're big star-bound, let me warn ya:
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
Long, hard ride
Long, hard ride