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Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come and rest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
John, he's kicking out the footlights
The Grand Ole Opry's got a brand new band
Lord, let me die with a hammer in my hand
I dream a highway back to you
I think I'll move down into Memphis
And thank the hatchet man who forked my tongue
I lie and wait until the wagons come
And dream a highway back to you
The getaway kickin' up cinders
An empty wagon full of rattling bones
Moon in the mirror on a three hour Jones
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come arrest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
Which lover are you, Jack of Diamonds?
Now you be Emmylou and I'll be Gram
I send a letter, don't know who I am
I dream a highway back to you
I'm an indisguisable shade of twilight
Any second now, I'm gonna turn myself on
In the blue display of the cool cathode ray
I dream a highway back to you
I wish you knew me, Jack of Diamonds
Fire riding, wheeling when I lead 'em up
Drank whiskey with my water, sugar in my tea
My sails in rags with the staggers and the jags
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come molest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
Now, give me some of what you're having
I'll take you as a viper into my head
A knife into my bed, arsenic when I'm fed
I dream a highway back to you
Hang overhead from all directions
Radiation from the porcelain light
Blind and blistered by the morning white
I dream a highway back to you
Sunday morning at the Diner
Hollywood trembles on the verge of tears
I watched the waitress for a thousand years
Saw a wheel inside a wheel, heard a call within a call
I dreamed a highway back to, you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come molest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
Step into the light, poor Lazarus
Don't lie alone behind the window shade
Let me see the mark death made
I dream a highway back to you
I dream a highway back to you
What will sustain us through the winter?
Where did last years lessons go?
Walk me out into the rain and snow
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come and bless my soul
I dream a highway back to you
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come and bless my soul
I dream a highway back to you
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come and rest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
John, he's kicking out the footlights
The Grand Ole Opry's got a brand new band
Lord, let me die with a hammer in my hand
I dream a highway back to you
I think I'll move down into Memphis
And thank the hatchet man who forked my tongue
I lie and wait until the wagons come
And dream a highway back to you
The getaway kickin' up cinders
An empty wagon full of rattling bones
Moon in the mirror on a three hour Jones
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come arrest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
Which lover are you, Jack of Diamonds?
Now you be Emmylou and I'll be Gram
I send a letter, don't know who I am
I dream a highway back to you
I'm an indisguisable shade of twilight
Any second now, I'm gonna turn myself on
In the blue display of the cool cathode ray
I dream a highway back to you
I wish you knew me, Jack of Diamonds
Fire riding, wheeling when I lead 'em up
Drank whiskey with my water, sugar in my tea
My sails in rags with the staggers and the jags
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come molest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
Now, give me some of what you're having
I'll take you as a viper into my head
A knife into my bed, arsenic when I'm fed
I dream a highway back to you
Hang overhead from all directions
Radiation from the porcelain light
Blind and blistered by the morning white
I dream a highway back to you
Sunday morning at the Diner
Hollywood trembles on the verge of tears
I watched the waitress for a thousand years
Saw a wheel inside a wheel, heard a call within a call
I dreamed a highway back to, you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come molest my soul
I dream a highway back to you
Step into the light, poor Lazarus
Don't lie alone behind the window shade
Let me see the mark death made
I dream a highway back to you
I dream a highway back to you
What will sustain us through the winter?
Where did last years lessons go?
Walk me out into the rain and snow
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come and bless my soul
I dream a highway back to you
I dream a highway back to you
Oh, I dream a highway back to you, love
A winding ribbon with a band of gold
A silver vision, come and bless my soul
I dream a highway back to you
Lyrics submitted by HagbardCeline, edited by chuxvom, Dawne
I Dream a Highway Lyrics as written by Gillian Howard Welch David Todd Rawlings
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'd say the song is a visionary journey through music and entertainment legends.
A few commenters have filled in pieces:
John/footlights: Johnny Cash at the Grand Ole Opry. Memphis/forked tongue: Robert Johson's meeting with the Devil at the crossroads. Die with a hammer in my hand: John Henry
I would add:
Jack of Diamonds: Bob Dylan Emmylou and Gram: Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons's ill-fated collaboration and relationship Hollywood/waitress: Lana Turner discovered at Schwab's Pharmacy Walk me out into the rain and snow : "Ran me out in the cold rain and snow" -- traditional folk song
I'm sure further consideration would turn up more references.
So Welch is not addressing a human lover, as one might expect from the refrain. My guess is that she is meditating on the source of creativity she tries to tap into with her songwriting -- the particular artists, lyrics and stories that have inspired her.
In addition to the Dylan song, "Jack of Diamonds", it also reminds me of Gram Parsons lyric in "Ooh Las Vegas", she's replaced the queen with a jack because it's she who's choosing between two men instead of Gram choosing between two women. She's not looking for a king, Elvis got his own song on this album.<br /> <br /> Well, the Queen of Spades is a friend of mine. <br /> The Queen of Hearts is a bitch. <br /> Someday when I clean up my mind.<br /> I'll find out which is a which.
Warren: Thanks for the reply!<br /> <br /> After I posted my comment above I remembered Bob Dylan's song was "Jack of Hearts" not "Jack of Diamonds." <br /> <br /> There are several different "Jack of Diamonds" songs, including one by Waylon Jennings. However, my bet is Welch is referring to Michael Martin Murphey's. His lyrics are dry and stark, as many of hers. And more to the point, Welch reuses some of his "Jack of Diamonds" lyrics in her song, "Tennessee" from "The Harrow and the Harvest."<br /> <br /> Beefsteak when I'm hungry<br /> Rye whiskey when I'm dry<br /> Greenbacks when I'm hard up<br /> And heaven when I die<br /> <br /> --Michael Martin Murphey<br /> <br /> It's beef steak when I'm workin'<br /> Whiskey when I'm dry<br /> And sweet Heaven when I die<br /> <br /> --Gillian Welch<br /> <br /> Listen to Murphey's "Jack of Diamonds" here:<br /> youtube.com/watch