The Ride

When I was thumbing 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 Well, I sat down in the front seat He turned on the radio And them sad old songs coming outta them speakers was solid country gold Then I noticed the stranger was ghost white pale When I asked him for a light And I knew there was something strange about this ride He said, "Mister, 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" Then he cried just south of Nashville And he turned that car around He said, "This is where you get off, boy 'Cause I'm goin' back to Alabam" And as I stepped outta 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, "Mister, 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 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" If you're big star bound let me warn you it's a long, hard ride