Robert Mitchum The Ballad Of Thunder Road Lyrics

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 Asheville, sometimes Memphis town
The revenuers chased him, but they couldn't run him down
Each time they thought they had him, his engine would explode
He'd go by like they were standing still on Thunder Road

And there was thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine and white lightning was his load
And there was moonshine, moonshine, to quench the devil's 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 he'd better make his run no more
He said 200 agents were coverin' the state
Which ever road he'd tried to take, they did ensure his fate

Son, his daddy told him, Make this run your last
The Tank is filled with hundred proof
You're all tuned up and gassed

Now don't take any chances if you can't get through
I'd rather have you back again, than all that mountain dew And there was thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine and white lightning was his load
And there was moonshine, moonshine, to quench the devil's thirst
The law they swore they'd get him, but the devil got him first

Roaring out of Harlan, revvin' up his mill
He shot the gap at Cumberland and screamed by Maynardville
With G-men on his taillight, roadblocks up ahead
The mountain boy took roads that even angels fear to thread

Blazin' right through Knoxville out on Kingston Pike
Then right outside of Bearden, where they made that fatal strike
He left the road at ninety that's all there is to say
The devil got the moonshine and the Mountain boy that day

And there was thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine white, lightning was his load
And there was moonshine, moonshine, to quench the devil's thirst
The Law, they never got him, 'cause the devil got him first
Law, they never got him, 'cause the devil got him first
(thunder thunder thunder road)