Willie Nelson - The Highway Lyrics






I drove in on the four lane
Where the two lane used to be
The highway hummed a near forgotten tune
From 1963
The year I turned 18 and set my sights
And heard the highway call
Now the highway’s come full circle
To a place I scarce recall

There’s a girl I still remember
Whose name I can’t recall
I gave her what I had, but then
She tried to take it all
I stayed long enough to love her
And then left her on the run
Like a flower left to wither
In that deep East Texas sun

There’s a place out on the highway
Where I go to spend my time
Where the bartenders all know me
And the players are friends of mine
And we light up on the brakes
And talk of things that we all know
But I’ve heard it all before
And I’ll hear it all again
And I’ve heard it said
The highway never ends

So what about old handsome Johnny
And the class of ’64?
Did the women all make promises
When they shipped him off to war?
Did his mama get the medal
And did his country ever win?
Well, let’s drink a round to Johnny
‘Cuz he died for all our sins.

They’re still down there in the factories
You can see ‘em in the mills
They’ve sweated there for years, Lord
I guess they always will.
And you know they won’t be leaving
And I can’t watch ‘em die that way
So in my rear view mirror
I’ll just watch them slip away

There’s a place out on the highway
Where I go to spend my time
Where the bartenders all know me
And the players are friends of mine
And we light up on the brakes
And talk of things that we all know
But I’ve heard it all before
And I’ll hear it all again
And I’ve heard it said
The highway never ends

The highway never ends
The highway never ends





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Willie Nelson The Highway Comments
  1. T.... _....

    Heres the lyrics folks:
    I drove in on the four lane
    Where the two lane used to be
    The highway hummed a near forgotten tune
    From 1963
    The year I turned 18 and set my sights
    And heard the highway call
    Now the highway's come full circle
    To a place I scarce recall

    There's a girl I still remember
    Whose name I can't recall
    I gave her what I had, but then
    She tried to take it all
    I stayed long enough to love her
    And then left her on the run
    Like a flower left to wither
    In that deep East Texas sun

    There's a place out on the highway
    Where I go to spend my time
    Where the bartenders all know me
    And the players are friends of mine
    And we light up on the brakes
    And talk of things that we all know
    But I've heard it all before
    And I'll hear it all again
    And I've heard it said
    The highway never ends

    So what about old handsome Johnny
    And the class of '64?
    Did the women all make promises
    When they shipped him off to war?
    Did his mama get the medal
    And did his country ever win?
    Well, let's drink a round to Johnny
    'Cuz he died for all our sins.

    They're still down there in the factories
    You can see 'em in the mills
    They've sweated there for years, Lord
    I guess they always will.
    And you know they won't be leaving
    And I can't watch 'em die that way
    So in my rear view mirror
    I'll just watch them slip away

    There's a place out on the highway
    Where I go to spend my time
    Where the bartenders all know me
    And the players are friends of mine
    And we light up on the brakes
    And talk of things that we all know
    But I've heard it all before
    And I'll hear it all again
    And I've heard it said
    The highway never ends

    The highway never ends
    The highway never ends

  2. L.... B....

    Ciao mi piace molto Willie che per me rappresenta la parte migliore dell 'America

  3. A.... S....

    Oh God Almighty, this is one of the greatest songs ever... Willie is the only person that could sing this song... It's like Peggy Lee's "Is That all that is?" or Sinatra's "My Way" or Bonnie Tylers "Total Eclipse of the Heart" Short story about 3 years ago A famous musician who my son knows arranged me to meet Willie. This person brother and a friend said to me...I know you wanted to meet Dad, but I can't find him...I thought thats stupid What would I say to a LEGEND and i'm sure he doesnt want to meet... Then I asked my Son is that young man and he said that Lucas Nelson and he's opening for Willie

  4. m.... w....

    I LOVE THIS MAN'S SINGING.

  5. B.... R....

    So what about old handsome Johnny and the class of 64? did the women all make promises when they shipped him off to war? Did his momma get the medal and did his country ever win? Well let's drink a round to Johnny, cause he died for all our sins...

  6. B.... M....

    Great song.
    Every time I go to the town I grew up in (I cannot call it "my hometown---NEVER felt at home there.) I feel like a stranger in a foreign land.

    Today my favorite activity is to fill up the F150, & get out on the road. NOT the interstate---too crowded!!! But the "byways" & backroads. Drive a 300+mile loop through the state going nowhere in particular. Radio on maybe half the time. Just get out of the Rat-race for a day. Very therapeutic!!!
    This is what this song means to me.

  7. d.... ....

    I have many Willie albums, but this is the one I play the most - one great song after another. Absolutely love this track.

  8. J.... G....

    i do like it,quite a bit in fact. he could have been reading from my diary with some of his subjects mentioned within his lyrics.

  9. J.... H....

    I heard this song when the album came out and I fell in Love with it. The Highway is one of my most favorite songs, it ranks in the top 10 of my favorite 100 songs.

    J.... H....

    Me too, I had this cassette when I was a younger man.

  10. S.... S....

    I had the old 45 record of this song and have been combing the internet for it. So glad to see it here. Thanks so much. It's a classic that was never recognized. A Willie Nelson gem.

  11. J.... G....

    i really like this song of willie's. i know it's not the usual or best liked of his. however the lyrics and interpretation run very deep.seems like a man reflecting on the best of his youth, and those losses that can't be filled in his heart.

    J.... G....

    Nice thought my friend!

  12. r.... ....

    One of the Best...

  13. M.... M....

    Love the song...Beautiful!! Thank you for this lovely share!
    ~Marianne...

  14. M.... d....

    angem sabe onde acho a letra desa musica

  15. n.... ....

    @laoanos A middle section of the lyrics goes
    So what about old "Handsome Johnny" and the class of '64?
    Did the women all make promises when they shipped him off to war?
    Did his Momma get his medals,did his country ever win?
    Well let's drink a round for Johnny 'cause he died for all our sins
    Cheers
    A beautiful song.

    n.... ....

    I knew a friend named Johnny and we went over in late 60s. I came home. Sorry you didn't buddy.

  16. n.... ....

    Thanks so much for posting.
    IMHO I do not think Willie's voice has ever sounded better.And the song is damned sad but beautifully written.
    I could not find the lyrics at all so repeatedly played my copy got them that way.I think that Amazon will sell the lyrics but not,going on past experience, to me in Australia.

  17. l.... ....

    @lagoanos I drove in on the four lane where the two lane used to be.
    The highway hummed a near forgotten tune from 1963.
    The year I turned 18 and set my sights and heard the highway call.
    Now the highway's come full circle to a place I scarce recall.

    There's a girl I still remember whose name I can't recall.
    I gave her what I had, but then she tried to take it all.
    I stayed long enough to lover her and then left her on the run
    like a flower left to wither in that deep east Texas sun.

  18. l.... ....

    @lagoanos

    They're still down there in the factories; you can see them in the mills.
    They've sweated there for years, Lord, I guess they always will.
    And you know they won't be leavin; I can't watch them die that way,
    so in my rear view mirror I always watch 'em slip away.

  19. A.... D....

    I have this CD..not a big deal, who would'nt..one of me favorite songs by Willie..it is about sheeple he once knew..the blue collar schlubs..like me

    A.... D....

    You're not a schlub, you're a decent man with a sense of perspective - the most precious attribute of all.

  20. R.... M....

    this album should be put in time capsule and played 100 years from now!

    R.... M....

    I totally agree with you... its ageless, timeless, beautiful beyond words...in fact this whole CD is great

  21. g.... ....

    Great song from Willie. Great songwriting. I

  22. A.... C....

    Do anybody have the lyrics of this music? I've already searched for this lyrics on all the internet but it seems impossible to find it!! Help!!

  23. I.... ....

    Such an exquisite song, not to mention album. I think this is one of his best albums, yet it is relatively unknown.

  24. B.... S....

    one of my favorite Willie Songs.
    great LP

  25. d.... ....

    Nice:-)