Thursday January 28, 2021 “Telephone Road” Steve Earle

So we’re in Texas, Houston to be more specific where there is an actual Telephone Road which is apparently is fairly accurately portrayed by Steve Earle in today’s song.  The line from the chorus, "Telephone Road is ten miles long, fifty car lots and one hundred honky-tonks" is a very true description.

 We’ve had Steve Earle on song of the day before with “Copperhead Road”, the man must do some travelling to be so influenced by roads.  He has also had his problems with substances and has spent some time in rehab programs which may have prepared him for playing the character Waylon, a recovering drug addict in the HBO series The Wire which Earle described as, “...going to a 12 step meeting and getting paid for it.”

 In addition to many songs, Earle has written four books with more in the works and as we discovered earlier he’s been married seven times, twice to the same woman but is currently single.  Maybe he finally discovered that he really isn’t the marrying kind.

 Stay safe and well...and if you’re looking for some fun while we’re in Houston apparently ‘everybody’s rocking out on Telegraph Road’.

My brother Jimmy, my other brother Jack

Went off down to Houston and they never come back

Mama wasn't gonna let her baby go yet

But there ain't nobody hirin' back in Lafeyette

 I'm workin' all week for the Texaco check

Sun beatin' down on the back of my neck

Tried to save my money but Jimmy says no

Says he's got a little honey on Telephone Road

 Come on, come on, come on, let's go

This ain't Louisiana

Your Mama won't know

Come on, come on, come on, let's go

Everybody's rockin' out on Telephone Road

 Telephone Road's ten miles long

Fifty car lots and a hundred honky-tonks

Jukebox blastin' and the beer bottles ring

Jimmy banging on a pinball machine

 Come on, come on, come on, let's go

This ain't Louisiana

Your Mama won't know

Come on, come on, come on, let's go

Everybody's rockin' out on Telephone Road

 Mama never told me about nothin' like this

I guess Houston's 'bout as big as a city can get

Sometimes I get lonesome for Lafeyette

Someday I'm goin' home but I ain't ready yet

 Come on, come on, come on, let's go

This ain't Louisiana

Your Mama won't know

Come on come on come on let's go

Everybody's rockin' out on Telephone Road

 Come on, come on, come on, let's go

This ain't Louisiana

Your Mama won't know

Come on, come on, come on, let's go

Everybody's rockin' out on Telephone Road