From the recording Grace
A nostalgic anthem that's been a crowd favorite for over 15 years in the Son Henry/T. Rogers live set, and we finally decided to record it together. This song captures the exhilarating feeling of hitting the open road, with its long stretches of straight blacktop inviting you to just keep driving. It's about more than just the physical act of travel; it's about the freedom and excitement that comes with it, and the possibilities and adventures that you might encounter on the journey.
Lyrics
Ribbon of tar
Cold draft of wind blowin’ across my neck
Long stretch of road but I ain’t looking back
White lines or tea leaves I know what’s in store
Got my shoes pointed down that ribbon of a road
I was born just off the interstate
Grew up smelling diesel and changing 40-weight
Papa said life’s a journey that starts when you are born
Got my shoes pointed down that ribbon of a road
How’s a man choose between a woman and the road
I asked my father, but he didn’t know
Son, a woman’s heart is made out of glass
And yours is made of asphalt and it’s shot full of cracks
You can stop running, but you’ll never stop, I know
Got a ribbon of tar running right through your soul
A ribbon of tar, running right on through your soul
They say a man is muscle and mud
Pistons for a heart and 40 weight for blood
And when he’s not moving, his mind is on the road
Got a ribbon of tar running right through his soul
Got a ribbon of tar, running right on through his soul