Song Lyrics

This old car has seen the ages since the second of the world wars
Bought by a Jersey family on the cutting edge of poor
A ragged wife and weary children stricken with the chore
Of a restless man of thirty-five who dreamed he lived for more

I'm hating my surroundings and my soul I'm sure is dead
I will die a hollow, bitter man with a gun against my head
I need some time to drive alone to feel the wind of the life Ive blown
I may be back, but don't expect that this car will find me home

After two thousand turns of the gauge, he hid his wedding band
And lost the keys in a musty room to lust and a womans hand
She stole off with her lover
He was a dressed-up blues-harp man
And they chased the road to Chicago for the blues
From any raging band

This old car has seen the ages since the second of the world wars
Its seen a man in his final stagesseen two lovers opening doors
But the doors jammed shut and struck up the band
When the blues man asked for more
The woman heard no harmony in the blues
Of old Chicago lore

I'm hating my surroundings and my soul I'm sure is dead
I will die a hollow, bitter man with a gun against my head
I need some time to drive alone to feel the wind of the life Ive blown
I may be back, but don't expect that this car will find me home

In a back field in a farmers lot, a boy-man finds the car
Bought for a song by his father, its been ten years off the tar
A motionless engine is a curse
To a boy with a ready heart
In a boxed-up town the dreams abound
But never get their start

I'm hating my surroundings and my soul I'm sure is dead
I will die a hollow, bitter man with a gun against my head
I need some time to drive alone to feel the wind of the life Ive blown
I may be back, but don't expect that this car will find me home

Ellis Paul

The duration of This Old Car is 8:14 minutes and seconds.