After three nights in jail, I head north from toyavale.
Switch to 285 in pecos, head up to red bluff.
My walk's real steady and my eyes are real cold
But I feel like I'm all of sixteen years old
Lost in the travel lodge, with the television on with the sound down,
I don't feel so tough.
Old issues of sunset magazine to read,
Sleep for twelve hours, and dream about home.

I have no place to go, so I drive up to new mexico.
Fix my eyes in the rearview when I cross the state line.
And I panic, I guess. and although it's quite late,
I take the first exit to 128.
I am coming back to midlind.
I hope you won't mind.
Polaroids of the two of us scattered on the passenger's seat.
I drive slowly
And evenly
And I dream about home


Lyrics submitted by fuckedupdog, edited by Flaffy, jtk1993, kyeo

Jeff Davis County Blues Lyrics as written by John Darnielle

Lyrics © PACIFIC ELECTRIC MUSIC

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Jeff Davis County Blues song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Toyahvale!!!! Toyahvale, TX!

    LaylaDarlingon March 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    These lyrics are sorta wrong, Right version: After three nights in jail, I head north from Toya Vail Switch from 285 in Pacos Head up to RedBluff My walks real steady and my eyes are real cold, But I feel like I'm all of 16 years old, lost in a travel lodge with the television on with the sound down, I don't feel so tough, Old issues of Sunset Magazine to read, Sleep for 12 hours, Dream about home

    I have no place to go, So I drive up to New Mexico, Fix my eyes in the rear view when I cross the state line, and I paniac I guess, and although it's quite late take the first exit to 128, I'm comming back to midland I hope you won't mind, Polaroids of the two of us scattered on the passengers street, I drive slowly and evenly and I dream about home

    BoomSwaggeron July 13, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i kinda wish it was "dream about you." but alas

    hab204on September 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Great song! Jeff Davis is a very sparsely populated county in Western Texas named after Jefferson Davis, the president of the confederacy. The guy in the song is obviously a lost soul drifter type who has had some trouble with the law over the years but has a good heart. He may have been a trouble maker in his younger years but now that he sees where that life has taken him he feels more vulnerable than tough. I get the sense that the narrator just wants to feel at home somewhere for once in his life but I'm not sure the person he's going home to will be very welcoming. He has lost that place that he refers to as home forever.

    vidkon November 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song reminds me of the calm, sad regret you feel after doing or saying something to someone in an argument or fight. i assume he hit her and thats why he spent time in jail.

    RedLeafon March 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'm guessing this song is about William Staniforth Donahue. The fact that Mr. Donahue is older than 16 does not contradict that, because the narrator in this song says he FEELS 16, not that he is 16.

    cbinghamon April 18, 2018   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    These lyrics are sorta wrong, Right version: After three nights in jail, I head north from Toya Vail Switch from 285 in Pacos Head up to RedBluff My walks real steady and my eyes are real cold, But I feel like I'm all of 16 years old, lost in a travel lodge with the television on with the sound down, I don't feel so tough, Old issues of Sunset Magazine to read, Sleep for 12 hours, Dream about home

    I have no place to go, So I drive up to New Mexico, Fix my eyes in the rear view when I cross the state line, and I paniac I guess, and although it's quite late take the first exit to 128, I'm comming back to midland I hope you won't mind, Polaroids of the two of us scattered on the passengers street, I drive slowly and evenly and I dream about home

    BoomSwaggeron July 13, 2006   Link

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