Re: HIST: OT: HUMOR: Polling for Survivors & Southern Culture

In a message dated 2/3/2005 11:27:17 AM Central Standard Time,
neilm@charter.net writes:


> Country folk in this area are very uneasy with non-Southern folk,
> whether or not they could be classed as "Yankees."

My perception of your part of my South is that its not as much the Yankees as
another group that causes uneasiness among our citizens. Yawl are physically
close enough to them Yankees up there and interface with 'em regular enough,
understandin' what they are tryin' to say ain't no problem. Here's the real
problem.

BALLAD OF THUNDER ROAD
Let me tell the story, I can tell it all
About the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol
His daddy made the whiskey, son, he drove the load
When his engine roared, they called the highway Thunder Road.

Sometimes into Ashville, sometimes Memphis town
The revenoors chased him but they couldnbt run him down
Each time they thought they had him, his engine would explode
He'd go by like they were standinb still on Thunder Road.

(CHORUS)
And there was thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine, and white lightning was his load
There was moonshine, moonshine to quench the Devilbs thirst
The law they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him first.

On the first of April, nineteen fifty-four
A Federal man sent word hebd better make his run no more
He said two hundred agents were coverinb the state
Whichever road he tried to take, theybd get him sure as fate.

Son, his Daddy told him, make this run your last
The tank is filled with hundred-proof, youbre all tuned up and gassed
Now, donbt take any chances, if you canbt get through
Ibd rather have you back again than all that mountain dew.

(CHORUS)

Roarinb out of Harlan, revvinb up his mill
He shot the gap at Cumberland, and screamed by Maynordsville
With T-men on his taillights, roadblocks up ahead
The mountain boy took roads that even Angels feared to tred.

Blazing right through Knoxville, out on Kingston Pike,
Then right outside of Bearden, they made the fatal strike.
He left the road at 90; thatbs all there is to say.
The devil got the moonshine and the mountain boy that day.

So the issue is more likely bein' leary of revenuers.

Smilin', laughin', rollin' in the floor, tryin' to sing while wonderin' if
the movie, Thunder Road, with Robert Mitchem is available on DVD... just so I
can hear the song.

Bill Burleson

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