C. W. McCall - Black Bear Road Lyrics






Me an' RJ an' the kids was on a camp-out in the mountains, and we had us one'a them U-Drive-'Em Army Jeep cars which we rented from a fella by the name of Kubozke for thirty bucks a day, buy your gas along the way, take a rabbit's foot and leave a pint of blood for a dee-posit

And he 'splained it all to us how we was supposed to get to Telluride, which is fifty miles away by way of the regular highway, however, there was a shortcut but unless we had drove the Black Bear Road before, we'd better be off to stay, stay in bed and sleep late. (Pay no attention to the gitar there)

Well, we took up off'n the highway and we come upon a sign says "Black Bear Road. You don't have to be crazy to drive this road, but it helps." I says, "RJ, this must the shortcut road Kubozke was talkin' about." She didn't pay no mind, 'cause she was makin' peanut butter sandwiches for the kids in the back seat throwin' rocks and drinkin' Kool-Aid and playin' count-the-license-plates. But they wasn't havin' too much fun a-countin' license plate or cars, 'cause there weren't no other cars

We went about a mile-and-a-half in about four hours, busted off the right front fender, tore a hole in the oil pan on a rock as big as a hall closet. Went over a bump and spilt the Kool-Aid and Roy Gene stuck his bolo knife right through the convertible top and the dog threw up all over the back seat. Peanut butter don't agree with him, you see

So we had to stop and take off the top and air everything out and clean it up. The dog run off and RJ says she felt her asthma comin' on. I was sittin' there wonderin' what to do when the en-tire scenic San Joo-wan U-Drive-'Em Army Jeep car sank in the mud. At thirteen thousand feet above sea level

Well, we shoveled it out and ate our lunch, the dog made a yellow hole in the snow and Roy Gene got out his Instamatic and took a snapshot of it. Mary Elizabeth drawed a picture of the road; it looked like a whole bunch a' Zs and Ws all strung together. And RJ took one look at it and said that the only way that Jeep car is goin' down that road is over her dead body. Then a rock slipped out from under the wheel and the U-Drive-'Em Army Jeep car went right over the edge of the cliff. Yahoo-ooh-ooh-ooh

"Doggone-it, Roy Gene! How many times do I have to 'splain it to you? When I tell you to put a rock under the wheel, I mean rock! Now look at that, what you have there is no bigger'n a grapefruit"





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C. W. McCall Black Bear Road Comments
  1. D.... W....

    58 people are still cleaning up the back seat.

  2. J.... N....

    peanut butter don't agree with the seat

  3. R.... B....

    He did a lot of Colorado based songs.

  4. K.... M....

    You don't have to be causal to drive this road, but it sure does help a lot of people in a world of, for, and to, but
    t makes us all in the same go.

  5. M.... Y....

    If you haven't been on that road, you need to. It's real!

  6. D.... E....

    My folks went over this road on a motorcycle and mom got her picture taken by the sign.

  7. J.... R....

    Now take a look at what you got there, it’s no bigger than a grapefruit

  8. g.... ....

    lol i hears wolf creek pass guess they ran out of notes years ago

  9. d.... ....

    Peanut butter don't agree with him, see?

  10. S.... D....

    I went over this road this past weekend and there was several pieces of a new Ford Fusion laying along the way ,and a 2XL mossy oak shirt with the sleeves cut off that had a huge rip down the right side of the chest laying at the spot where we had to stop and turn around because the Government had dug a huge tank trap across the trail my son took 1 look at the shirt and asked me too make sure my 44 had all the chambers loaded ,but I told him it was ok because who ever had been wearing that shirt looked like he had met a Bear.lol and he said that was why he wanted me to double check my pistol.lol

  11. T.... T....

    Fact: The backing musicians on this album are better known as Mannheim Steamroller.

  12. C.... B....

    The dog made a yellow hole in the snow and Roy Gene took out his instamatic and took a snapshot of it.

  13. S.... n....

    "At 13,000 Feet above sea level." Fond memories of a Youth well mis-spent!

  14. j.... r....

    Reminds me of a time in Canada at this family event and we’re all waiting on my brother to show up from New Hampshire and 3 hours later he rolls in and my sister in law says “well we HAD to try a shortcut over a mountain and after an hour of barely crawling in 2’ of snow I convinced him to turn around”.

  15. B.... K....

    I really like old country music.

  16. J.... C....

    Funny little tune lol 2018 👍

  17. D.... D....

    Take a rabbits foot, and leave a pint of blood as a d-posit.

  18. K.... L....

    this song I use to play for a friend of mine. Where to dog made yellow snow and taking a photo with the yellow snow.

  19. J.... ....

    Proof that Od White Men are the best rappers.

  20. D.... E....

    When this piece came out I recorded it and played it for my dad. He about busted a gut laughing, and it was then I found out that the Black Bear Road was a real road. He and my mom had been over it on motorcycles and had a picture of mom standing beside the sign!

  21. b.... ....

    Makes me miss my Wrangler.

  22. M.... P....

    Sounds a lot like my driveway.

  23. E.... M....

    you cannot find music like anymore,loved all his tunes.

  24. B.... B....

    "...and tore a hole in the oil pan on a rock as big as a hall closet."  Just tears me to pieces even all these years later!

  25. J.... B....

    You've gotta live in Colorado to know this.

  26. N.... ....

    One of the handful of songs I can recite the lyrics to without it playing. Yeah, my memory sucks.

  27. l.... ....

    Best story ever told

  28. E.... 1....

    LMAO!!!!! This cracks me up!

  29. M.... t....

    Phuck the sunday telegraph

  30. o.... ....

    I have hiked the Black Bear Road, and not for any money would I do it in a Jeep. It really is that tough, arguably the toughest 4-wheel drive in Colorado.

  31. M.... ....

    Doggone-it, Roy Gene!

  32. z.... h....

    No trees @ 13,000 feet...

  33. R.... S....

    There ACTUALLY IS  a Black Bear Road. Right where, C.W. described it.......

    R.... S....

    Kubozke is a real dude. My dad is a works with anesthesia and he helped to treat his daughter.

    R.... S....

    There's also a Wolf Creek Pass that runs right into Pagosa Springs!

    R.... S....

    Really? keep searching.......

    R.... S....

    I love Black Bear Road...Awesome scenery. Not technically difficult, but dangerous for the inexperienced.

    R.... S....

    Yes, C.W. McCall and his family vacationed in that area every year until he hit it big in music, then he moved there.

  34. L.... S....

    " I had a few of those roads growing up in SE Iowa" LOL, everyone miss that one :)

  35. E.... M....

    love this music.killer funny,thankyou for sharing.

  36. s.... ....

    "You don't have to be crazy to drive this road...but it helps."

    s.... ....

    +sickb2200 I had a few of those roads growing up in SE Iowa. They were fun to drive and to scare the crap out of your passengers.

    s.... ....

    Like Sigourney ?

    s.... ....

    My great grandfather once took a shortcut in the Ozarks in Arkansas...supposed to take 10 miles of the trip, but added about 50. Most of it was mud tracks, wagon ruts, corduroy roads and they think they had to drive on part of an old logging flume...in a sporty 1950s Henry j, which wasn't built for travel in the first place.

    s.... ....

    sickb2200 Hey, I live in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, and I know exactly what your Great Grandfather was talking about! Hillybilly roads

  37. P.... H....

    I don't know how many times I played this song when my dad got it back in 1975, but I actually remembered some of the words just now, especially the little girl's picture of the road.."looked like a bunch of z's and w's all strung together"... I think I've been on this road.  A wonderful memory...of the song...not the road!

    P.... H....

    +Patricia Hess The Black Bear Road is an exercise in post traumatic stress disorder..

  38. h.... c....

    God Bless Ya Bro!!....Love YA ! My Favorite!!

  39. c.... ....

    Now over to Wolf Creek Pass................

    c.... ....

    @cakraft24 I'll go get Earl..

    c.... ....

    +cakraft24  MMMMMmmmmmm.... too many to decide from.....................

    c.... ....

    +CrazyTruckie don't think the truck can take it

    c.... ....

    That's a good un, but CJ5 4Wheel drive is better😉

  40. D.... G....

    "I mean ROCK.". That line kills me.

    D.... G....

    Doug Glaus see what u got there no bigger than a grapefruit

  41. m.... ....

    take a rabbit's foot!

    m.... ....

    @midairflyer A rabbits foot isn't lucky, think about it, if it was then the rabbit wouldn't have lost it.

    m.... ....

    +tct72 wrong. it is lucky cause now you have it and the rabbit does not. ththththththththththththt roy jean needs to stick a polo knife in your heart. :-)

  42. T.... R....

    ☺ ☺ ☺This is just amazing for studying ☺ ☺

  43. M.... L....

    Awesome channel ♫ ♫

  44. M.... I....

    ♪Thank you for your upload, blessing on you all. ♪ ♪ ♪

  45. O.... T....

    Now try it in a 2wd 1969 econline 360 van with a homeade pop top and 7000lbs of water, propane, gas, people, gear and animals. Then go try Cash Creek road below Clear lake with the same and spend half a day pulling idiots out of the ravine with their :jeeps"..Also...come back when you grow a set.

  46. E.... ....

    ♣ ♣Wow, truly beautiful ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

  47. L.... ....

    Pay no attention to the gitar there..

    L.... ....

    +LUVMFAST Does everyone else imagine the guitarist mock-growling at him about then, or is it just me?

  48. B.... A....

    I drove the Black Bear Road yesterday because of this song.  It was AWESOME.  Beautiful flowers, wonderful scenery, and the road is definitely interesting to scary in a few places.  In two weeks my brother and I will do the trip together as part of a project to go to every place named in a C.W. McCall song.  What fun!

    B.... A....

    sounds like a blast    ....hope this never happens n ur travels

    B.... A....

    It was a fun trip. We drove Black Bear Road and hit 22 other places named in the songs in Colorado. Lots if driving but beautiful country.

    B.... A....

    Don't forget to see down town Pagosa springs !

    B.... A....

    Did you find one of them Scenic San Joo-Wan U-Drive-'Em Army Jeep cars down the bottom of a cliff?

    B.... A....

    Go near Omaha Nebraska, and Ouray Colorado.

  49. O.... ....

    When the ENTIRE scenic San Juan U-driving army jeep car sank in the mud... at 13,00 feet above sea level...

    O.... ....

    +Oreobush If they hadn't dug it out, it wouldn't have gone off the cliff..

    O.... ....

    @tranz2deep True.

  50. N.... F....

    Gosh DARN It Roy Jean, now how many time's I gotsa explain it to ya? When I say put a rock under the wheel, I mean A ROCK

  51. M.... ....

    I used to "sing" this to my family almost forty years ago when I was around 10.  They used to get a kick out of it.  I still know it by heart.

  52. b.... ....

    You don't have to be crazy to drive this road, but it helps.

  53. z.... ....

    Peanut butter don't agree with him.

    z.... ....

    What kind of dog is that? : rooleyes: Mine get Ol Roy Peanut Butter Munchy Bones and love them. And plain peanut butter also.

  54. v.... k....

    I have several of his albums on vinyl. this is one of my favorites

  55. b.... ....

    yeah man you know what im sayin man

  56. C.... L....

    These songs remind me of every car trip with my folks. We listened to first the 8 track, then the tape, then the CD...now digital...CW McCall never gets old

  57. w.... ....

    However, there was a short cut.......... I heard that all the time.

  58. L.... K....

    This reminds me of Robin Williams' movie - "RV" and him trying to drive the RV up over that mountain to the campsite. One of the funniest scenes in the movie!

  59. J.... ....

    When I say rock.... I mean...ROCK!!

  60. b.... ....

    My Dad bought this for me when I was 5, we all laughed so hard at this song and so many others, especially Lewis And Clark!!!! I can't believe he is 83 years old!

  61. r.... ....

    IT'S BOOMHOWER!!!!!!!

  62. t.... ....

    @BabbySiss101 says who? Does your opinion mean anything to anyone?

  63. s.... ....

    Throwin' rocks and drinkin' Kool-Aid. Hysterical.

  64. B.... t....

    Black Bear Pass is a road everyone needs to go over .... once.

    I love the pass. It gets the blood going. Can't wait to do it next year again. Thanks for the video post!

  65. u.... ....

    I have not seen Bill this year since he got back for the summer. Hope to be talking to him soon I am working on a new Black Bear road video. We have the old sign remade; so I need some one with kids, dog and a jeep. I have a K5 Blazer. Plan is if Bill agrees is to have him sign it after video and e-bay off for a charity of Bill's choice.

  66. M.... A....

    Pay no attention to the guitar there.

  67. s.... ....

    good song i like convoy classifide and this one

  68. s.... ....

    You wouldn't happen to have a coppy of "Roy" would ya. can't seem to finde it any where.

    s.... ....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgEFbYXhrk4

  69. J.... H....

    Dad Gum, RJ!

  70. D.... M....

    The "scream" as the jeep-car goes over the cliff is our (ok, Omaha's - but the rest of Nebraska claims him too) our own Chip Davis, who went on to form Mannheim Steamroller.

  71. e.... z....

    This cowboy was known to put some humor in his catchy country/pop style hits, of which he must boast at least 5 that went top 5 on the country charts, one of which went all the way to #1 on the pop charts back in 1976, called Convoy. Hardly a disco tune, Convoy must of grabbed the attention of young and old alike to have made it to the top with all the Disco music filling the airwaves back when. It wasn't exactly something you would squirm to when out on the dance floor, believe me. Thx

  72. u.... ....

    Yes it is a real road 13 miles south of Ouray, Co. Bill told me it is based on him and his family's trip over it. BTW Kuboske is a real person he had first jeep rentals in Ouray in 1967.

    Any one who wants to send a card or letter to Bill (CW McCall) his address is

    Bill Fries
    P.O. Box E
    Ouray, CO 81427

    He was born November 15, 1928 I talked to him a month ago and he still sounds good. Send him a Birthday card or Christmas card to let him know we still care.

  73. j.... ....

    I REMEMBER THIS SONG FROM 1975 AND ACTUALLY GOT CW MCALL'S SIGNATURE ON A BUMPER STICKER AND IT'S STILL ON AN OLD FOOT LOCKER FROM WHEN I WAS JUST FIVE YEARS OLD. THAT ROAD DOES EXIST AND I BET HE ROAD DOWN IT. WENT DOWN AND UP THE RUBICON 2X'S NICE STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!! DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOUR GONNA PUKE ,POOP, OR BE A HERO. 12 MILES AND TAKES ABOUT 3 DAYS DEPENDING ON WHO CAME PREPARED AND WHO DIDN'T. RARELY GET CHANCES TO PASS ON THAT STRETCH. MOSTLY WINCHIN DUMBAS__ PEOPLE OUT FROM IN FRONT.

  74. i.... ....

    We drove the road summer of 2009 in my wife's lifted Jeep Liberty. Wasn't too bad, but from what I understand the road varies year to year due to winter rock slides.