I was thumbin' from montgomery
Had my guitar on my back
When a stranger stopped beside me in an antique Cadillac
Well he was dressed like 1950

Half drunk and hollow-eyed
Said "Its a long walk to Nashville
Would you like a ride, son?"
Well I sat down in the front seat and turned on the radio
Them said old songs comin' out of them speakers was solid country gold
And 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

(Chorus)
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, its a long, hard ride"

Well he cried just south of Nashville
And he turned that car around
He said "This is where you get off boy,
I'm goin' back to Alabam"
As I stepped out of that Cadillac
I said "Mr., many thanks"
He said "You don't have to call me Mr., Mr.,
The whole world called me Hank

Chorus

If you're big star bound
Let me warn ya its a long, hard ride