Well, I was thumbin′ from Montgomery

I had my guitar on my back

When a stranger stopped beside me in an antique CadillacHe was dressed like 1950

Half drunk and hollow-eyed

He said, "It's a long walk to Nashville

Would you like a ride, son?"

And I sat down in the front seat, he turned on the radio

And them sad old songs 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 knew there was something strange about this ride

He said, "Drifter, can ya 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"

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'"

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 called me Hank"

He said, "Drifter, can ya 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 ya 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"

If you're big star bound let me warn ya, it′s a long, hard ride

You know you got a lot of competition out there

Now the sound, it ain't like it was in the ′50s when I was here

And then you got Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

You got Clarke and Billy Joe Shaver and David Allan Coe

And you even got my son