A road song: a song of longing to get back from solitude, back home. Risking it all on a dangerous all-night drive, the driver has to keep going, has to get to love. Written from the point of view of a sleep-deprived vagabond, we are in his netherworld, reaching out for love.
Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician, Steve Louw, active since 1981, is recognised as one of the most respected and accomplished talents in the South African music industry.
A road song: a song of longing to get back from solitude, back home. Risking it all on a dangerous all-night drive, the driver has to keep going, has to get to love.
Written from the point of view of a sleep-deprived vagabond, we are in his netherworld, reaching out for love.
LYRICS
I’m driving through the night To get back to you Me and these headlights Trying to get through Got to keep on going Got to stay awake Got to get to you Before the day breaks.
Be back in your street I’ll be back in your head I’ll be back in the heat Baby, back in your bed.
I’ll be with you when you open your eyes I see you in the night sky Keep it together, and keep on going All I hear is the engine’s moan.
Open my eyes to a truck engine roar Following the lights leading to your door If I don’t stop now, I might not get to you I’ve gotta beat the clock, I’ve gotta get through.
Be back in your street Back in your head I’ll be back in the heat Baby, back in your bed.
Be with you when you open your eyes I see you in the night sky Keep it together, keep on going All I hear is the engine’s moan.
See a flashing light, roadblock up ahead Gonna hang a right, take a two-track instead I gotta get to you, it’s been too long I gotta get through before the night is gone.
Be back in your sheets I’ll be back in your head I’ll be back in the heat Baby, back in your bed.
Be with you when you open your eyes I see you in the night sky Keep it together, keep on going All I hear is this engine’s moan.
A VW bus, not the fastest thing around If I don’t get bust, I’ll see you while the sun is down If I can get through, I’ll be back in town Be back in your room before anyone’s around.
Back in your sheets Back in your head I’ll be back in the heat Baby, back in your bed.
Keep it together, keep on going All I hear is the engine’s moan Be with you when you open your eyes I see you in the night sky.
Driving through the night To the daylight Through the headlights To daylight.
WMKY (Morehead State Public Radio in the USA) will be doing a 1 hour Steve Louw feature, playing 7 tracks from the new album, Thunder And Rain and tracks from the previous album, Headlight Dreams, with commentary from Steve’s bio. The shows will air February 17th at 8pm Eastern and then again on February 18th at 3pm Eastern. The station is streaming at wmky.org. WMKY is based in Morehead KY and covers the Lexington KY area.
A 1964 Epiphone Casino guitar gave me the gift of this song. The intro riff played high on the neck, sounding ‘Beatlesque’, led me to the chord changes and chorus.
A song of endings and beginning of solace in solitude, of joy in the future, of hope, resilience, and anticipation for the future.
LYRICS
Five in the morning I’m out of my head I can hear voices calling People I thought were dead And it’s alright, you know When you’re down on your knees I can see the light Coming up on the trees.
Take me down, down, down Down to the ground You got to count me down Count me down, but don’t count me out Count me down to the ground.
Hey, I got to say, it’s gonna be OK Hey, I got to say, it’s gonna be OK.
One more piece to make a picture ‘Til you can say yes I think you know the one I’m sure you can guess Yeah, the love you feel That’s been laid at your gate Oh, you know, you know it’s real You can feel the weight.
You gotta take me down, down, down Take me down to the ground, yeah, yeah Count me down, count me down, yeah Don’t count me out, down, down.
I said hey, I want to say hey It’s gonna be OK, it’s gonna be OK I got to say, it’s gonna be OK Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Oh yeah, yeah.
‘Cause I’ll take the hours I’m watching the trees Or the flowers Around the bees Or that picture, anything I please It’s alright, it’s OK, ‘cause I’m gonna be I’m, I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be I’m gonna be free, yeah, yeah.
You got to take me down, down, down You can take me down, down, down not out Just count me down, down, down to the ground Take me down, take me rolling round.
I said hey, I got to say It’s gonna be OK I got to say, you gonna be OK Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah You can hear it now, it’s gonna be You got to be, yeah free, oh yeah Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be You gonna be, yeah, yeah, free I got to say, it’s gonna be OK I got to say, gonna be OK Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Steve Louw 