Pine Knot Summer (1987)

“Pine Knot Summer (1987)”

(Verse 1)
Dirt road runnin’ past Larry Sumler’s gas
Pump lights hummin’ where the ghost lights dance
Folks swear on moonlit nights down by the old strip mine
Them spook lights rise up, floatin’ through the pines
Hand-me-down boots and a radio
Mama worked doubles at the shirt factory
Daddy chased overtime and a bottle of Beam
But Friday night lights on that red clay field
I could swing a Louisville like the world was healed
Three dollars in my Levi’s, holes in my soul
But when that fastball popped that mitt, I was gold

(Pre-Chorus)
We didn’t have much, but we had that summer sound
Crickets, engines, and them ghost lights spinnin’ ’round

(Chorus)
We were Pine Knot wild, runnin’ free and loud
Crankin’ Skynyrd, Waylon and a little Springsteen out
Me and Michael Smith, Mike Gilreath, Tony too
Chasin’ cheap beer dreams and girls in cutoff blues
There was a blonde from Ohio sittin’ two seats over
In Dr. Vanover’s class singin’ “Peanuts on a cloud”
Yeah, we were broke as hell, but we felt so rich
Livin’ every second of a Pine Knot ’87

(Verse 2)
They say the Devil walks the tracks by Yahoo Falls
Booger Man hides in the hollers when the nightbird calls
We’d dare each other past the graveyard gate
Throwin’ rocks at the Headless Annie legend just to feel brave
She moved down south with a Buckeye smile
Blue eyes brighter than them ghost lights all the while
History class, back row, passin’ notes
Whisper-singin’ that silly song while the spook stories float
I’d catch fly balls, she’d catch my stare
Wind in her hair, devil-may-care

(Chorus)
We were Pine Knot wild, runnin’ free and loud
Skynyrd wailin’ while the ghost lights drift around
Me and Michael Smith, Mike Gilreath, Tony too
Sneakin’ through the woods like young outlaws do
That blonde from Ohio stole the breath right out of
Every slow dance song we ever dreamed up
Yeah, we were broke as hell, but we felt ten feet tall
In the haunted, hot heart of a Pine Knot summer, y’all

(Bridge)
Time rolls on like an old pickup truck
Rust on the fenders, but them legends never give up
I still see them lights dancin’ when the night gets quiet
Still taste that first kiss under Kentucky stars shinin’

(Final Chorus)
Yeah, we were Pine Knot wild, livin’ fast and proud
Headlights off, let the moonlight and the ghost lights drown us out
Still ride with Michael, Mike, and Tony in my mind
Past the strip pits, down every crooked backroad sign
And that blonde from Ohio, Lord, she still sings to me
“Peanuts floatin’ on a cloud” like a sweet mystery
We were broke as hell, but we had it all
Raisin’ hell with the Devil down in Pine Knot, y’all

(Tag)
Pine Knot, Kentucky, 1987
Where the ghost lights still burn and the good times ain’t done yet