[Tag 1]
Alright, y'all—bring that old road feeling in.
[Intro]
[Instrumental: steel guitar intro, descending three-step turnaround into a walking beat]
[Lead Break]
[Instrumental: steel guitar lead break before the first verse]
[Verse 1 - Male]
I found your note by the coffee tin,
Blue ink saying, Come on in.
Your boots were waiting beside the chair,
Like you knew I'd meet you there.
[Pre-Chorus]
[Female]
You said the miles had taken their toll,
[Male]
I said your porch could mend a soul.
[Chorus - Duet]
Take my hand, don't count the years,
Leave the dust and lose the fear.
If the road bends out of sight,
We'll make a home by morning light.
[Post-Chorus Ad-libs]
[Female] Come on, come on.
[Male] I'm right here.
[Duet] Right here.
[Intermediate Exit 1]
[Instrumental: full steel guitar and fiddle presentation, acoustic rhythm carrying the walking beat]
[Tag 2]
Somebody in the back knows this next one.
[Verse 2 - Female]
You kept a map inside your coat,
Three red marks and a faded note.
One for the town where the river turns,
One for the bridge where the old sign burns.
[Verse 3 - Male]
I drove past fields of winter wheat,
Heard your laugh in the passenger seat.
No radio, just the tires below,
And that little tune we used to know.
[Chorus - Duet]
Take my hand, don't count the years,
Leave the dust and lose the fear.
If the road bends out of sight,
We'll make a home by morning light.
[Post-Chorus Ad-libs]
[Male] Keep it rolling.
[Female] Don't let go.
[Duet] Don't let go.
[Intermediate Exit 2]
[Instrumental: extended acoustic and steel-guitar turnaround, fiddle answering each phrase]
[Tag 3]
Turn around and sing it back to us.
[Verse 4 - Female]
At the county line, the rain came down,
You pulled my jacket around my shoulders.
We laughed beneath that grocery awning,
Two tired hearts growing bolder.
[Bridge - Duet]
[Male]
Maybe forever is a borrowed word,
[Female]
Maybe it means what we've already heard.
[Duet]
The screen door slam, the kettle ring,
The small enough life that can hold everything.
[Chorus - Duet]
Take my hand, don't count the years,
Leave the dust and lose the fear.
If the road bends out of sight,
We'll make a home by morning light.
[Post-Chorus Ad-libs]
[Female] By morning.
[Male] By morning.
[Duet] We will.
[Intermediate Exit 3]
[Instrumental: full-band live presentation, steel guitar rising over acoustic rhythm and handclaps]
[Tag 4]
Last verse—keep the porch light on.
[Verse 5 - Male]
Now the coffee tin is wearing thin,
But your blue note still pulls me in.
The same two boots by the same old chair,
And your hand reaching through my hair.
[Final Chorus - Duet]
Take my hand, don't count the years,
Leave the dust and lose the fear.
If the road bends out of sight,
We'll make a home by morning light.
Take my hand, the night is wide,
I've got your road and you've got mine.
[Post-Chorus Ad-libs]
[Male] Your road.
[Female] My road.
[Duet] One more mile together.
[Intermediate Exit 4]
[Instrumental: extended live exit presentation, steel guitar turnaround, fiddle harmony, acoustic rhythm and walking bass]
[Tag 5]
Thank you kindly—one more pass on the way out.
[Outro]
[Duet]
When the last wheel finds the gravel,
When the last porch light turns blue,
I'll take the long way home tonight,
If the long way leads to you.
[Final Exit]
[Instrumental: steel guitar resolves the three-step walk, acoustic guitar and bass slow into a warm live walk-off, audience applause]