Down the Dirt Road, Aunt Johnnie!

I am continuing a series on the lyrics of my new CD, “Uncle Vance’s Guitar” (listen to samples and buy downloads or CD here.   See and buy all my CDs here

Aunt Johnnie is a real person. She was my “cool Aunt” growing up. Meaning, she was just barely older than all the cousins.  She was Grandmaw’s little late gift in life, the final of eight children. One time during a visit, she got Grandpaw’s old car, I seem to remember it was a Dodge, but I may be wrong, and loaded all us kids up and off we went, down a little dirt road that ran beside the country store my grandparents ran. It had those old gas pumps (Gulf brand, regular and premium only, leaded all) where white numbers on a black background turned slowly while your gas went in.  Johnnie was maybe 13, 14, years old, but off we went.  Crazy.  That we survived was a miracle. Anyway, this is one of those songs that sort of “came out” one day, and it has been a lot of fun in concert for the crowds, who remember those less-regulated, more life threatening days!  Johnnie had a birthday this week.  Happy birthday, Aunt Johnnie!

Down the Dirt Road With Aunt Johnnie

with Brent Warren, Don Wendorf, Rachel Turner and Mark Weldon

Hop in the Dodge, pedal to the floor

Down the old dirt road next to Grampa’s store

Hole in the backseat floor and the road flies by

Aunt Johnnie starts laughing and so do I

Chorus

Riding Down the Dirt Road With Aunt Johnnie

Jump the railroad tracks with Aunt Johnny

Its three fourths scary and one half funny

Better hold on for your dear life, honey

Riding Down the Dirt Road With Aunt Johnnie         WATCH THE LIVE VIDEO

Aunt Johnnie’s not much older than us.

She didn’t tell his mama when Andy cussed

Cigarette hanging from her pretty mouth

Weaving between the ditches in the old time South              Chorus          

 

Rocks go flying, to and fro

Dust clouds telling the whole world where we go

Mama don’t know, papa don’t know

She got no license but she sure can go!                                  Chorus          

 

Carload of Kids too young to drive

Back before seatbelts kept us alive

Sure got a crazy look in her eye.

Don’t know if we’ll live or die.                                              Chorus          

 

Stop at the haunted house, far from town

Say there’s a murdered man’s ghost walking around

Say he was lookin’ for a boy a lot like you,

Run for your life just in case its true                                      Chorus          

 

Ending

                   Riding down the dirt road

with Aunt Johnnie!