Lyrics:

1989
Writer(s): Leon Payne

I drove in on the four lane
Where the two lane used to be
The highway hummed a near forgotten tune
From 1963
The year I turned 18 and set my sights
And heard the highway call
Now the highway’s come full circle
To a place I scarce recall

There’s a girl I still remember
Whose name I can’t recall
I gave her what I had, but then
She tried to take it all
I stayed long enough to love her
And then left her on the run
Like a flower left to wither
In that deep East Texas sun

There’s a place out on the highway
Where I go to spend my time
Where the bartenders all know me
And the players are friends of mine
And we light up on the brakes
And talk of things that we all know
But I’ve heard it all before
And I’ll hear it all again
And I’ve heard it said
The highway never ends

So what about old handsome Johnny
And the class of ’64?
Did the women all make promises
When they shipped him off to war?
Did his mama get the medal
And did his country ever win?
Well, let’s drink a round to Johnny
‘Cuz he died for all our sins.

They’re still down there in the factories
You can see ‘em in the mills
They’ve sweated there for years, Lord
I guess they always will.
And you know they won’t be leaving
And I can’t watch ‘em die that way
So in my rear view mirror
I’ll just watch them slip away

There’s a place out on the highway
Where I go to spend my time
Where the bartenders all know me
And the players are friends of mine
And we light up on the brakes
And talk of things that we all know
But I’ve heard it all before
And I’ll hear it all again
And I’ve heard it said
The highway never ends

The highway never ends
The highway never ends