Steve Earle - New Cut Road lyrics

Coleman Bonner was a fiddle-playing fool
A backwoods rounder and a breaker of mules
Coleman Bonner's got a wore out bow
Been playing two days at the new cut road

Coleman's little sister said, "You
Better act right, coleman
'Cause Daddy's gone to Louisville and
He'll be back tonight
He's gonna get another wagon and
A good pair of mules
We're gonna all move to Texas
We just waiting on you"

Now Coleman's daddy, he pulled up in the yard
Said "Pack up your lives, kids
It's gettin' too hard
Kentucky's alright but there's
Too many people just the other day
I thought I saw a church steeple"
Coleman said, "Daddy don't you worry 'bout me
Gonna stay here in Kentucky 'til the day I d
Gonna drink that sour mash
Gonna race that mare
Gonna find that woman with fox-red hair"

Now y'all been movin' west since
The day you got married
Well I'm gettin' off the wagon, Daddy
I'm too old to be carried
Gonna stay here in Kentucky
Where the bluegrass grows
Gonna play it all night down the new cut road

Now Coleman's daddy said
"What's it all coming to?
Young people these days
They’re just as stubborn as mules
You can't make him go, he's too old for that
It's that damned old fiddle
And that bowler hat

Now Coleman's mama said, "Aw
Let the boy stay
He's raised up solid, he can find his own way
But as for me, honey, I'm with you
I always thought Kentucky was
Just passing through

Now Coleman's little sister started
In to crying and his daddy shook his head
For the very last time
Coleman's mama said, "Somebody's gotta do it
Wouldn't be no Kentucky unless you
Didn't stick to it, coleman"

Coleman Bonner stood on the
Porch of that cabin
And watched 'em all go to
Texas in a covered wagon
And he pulled out his fiddle
And resined up his bow
And played a little tune called
The "New Cut Road"