Down The Middle

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: David Nelson

A Hunter/Nelson song first played by the New Riders of the Purple Sage in April 2008.

River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches of the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise

Line down the middle of the road so white
Daylight crashes into night
Sometimes yellow, sometimes red
Where roads of homeless strangers led

My destination is freedom itself
And if I find it, I will share the wealth
Roll down the window, arm on the sill
First coyote calls from the hill

River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches of the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise

Been on the road ten thousand days
Line down the middle of the blue highways
Last thing I see as the light doth fade
Skull and crossbones on my grave

I can't drive that image from my head
The radio plays tunes of dread
The line in the middle rolls straight to dawn
And that's the faith of the road I'm on

Last night's a thousand years ago
Dawn pours diamonds in the road
Sunlight splashing on the hill
As if to say it always will

The only thing I want deep down
A cup of coffee and a quarter round
The quarter round is as may be
But the cup of coffee definitely

River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches o'er the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise

Some like it cool, some like it hot
Some of us don't care a lot
We only ask that it be true
To the still small voice that speaks in you

Freedom is costly, and dig down deep
The hole in your soul won't let you keep
More than enough to whet your thirst
Though nobody knows that much at first

Slick green moss upon a river rock
Stones by the side of the road may talk
Whatever they say will be a lie
So cover your ears and pass on by

River may, river may, river may roll
The road, the road, the road may call
Sunset reaches o'er the peaks may rise
Shining like the gates of paradise