Steve Earle — New Cut Road

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"