Well I was thumbin' from Montgomery
Had my guitar on my back
When a stranger stopped beside
Me in an antique cadillac
He was dressed like nineteen fifty
Half drunk and hollow eyed
He said it's a long walk to Nashville, son would you like a ride?

I sat down in the front seat, he turned on the radio
And them sad old songs coming 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 you 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'rr 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
Because I'm going 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 you 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'rr 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