Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: David Nelson
A Hunter/Nelson song first played by the New Riders of the Purple Sage
in April 2008. This is my first stab at the lyrics:
River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches o'er the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise
Line down the middle of the road so wide
Daylight crashes into night
Sometimes yellow, sometimes red
Where rows of homeless strangers live
My destination is freedom itself
And if I find that, I will share the wealth
Roll down the window, arm on the sill
First coyote cries from the hill
River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches o'er the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise
Been on the road ten thousand days
Line down the middle of blue highways
Last thing I see as the light does fade
Skull and crossbones on my grave
I can't drive that image from my head
The radio plays tunes of dread
The line in the middle rolls straight to dawn
And that's the faith of the road I'm on
Last night's a thousand years ago
[Dawn pours diamonds and in the road]
Sunlight splashing on the hill
As if to say it always will
The only thing I want deep down
A cup of coffee and a quarter round
The quarter round is as may be
But the cup of coffee definitely
River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches o'er the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise
Some like it cool, some like it hot
Some of us don't care a lot
We only ask that it be true
To the still small voice that speaks in you
Freedom is costly, and dig down deep
The hole in your soul won't let you keep
More than enough to whet your thirst
Though nobody knows that much at first
Slick green moss upon a river rock
Stones by the side of the road may talk
Whatever they say will be a lie
So cover your ears and pass on by
River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches o'er the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise