FIRE ON THE HIGHWAY

(Inspired by Marshall Tucker’s Fire on the Mountain)

 

Left my family on my Arizona land

Drove to Oregon with a loosely laid plan

Winter’s cold there and life is hard

Sometimes I wish I was in my sweet desert yard

 

Now there’s fire on the highway

One man laying dead

We tried to talk it out

But the guns spoke instead

 

We rallied with each other trying to stay warm

Promising Burns folks no one would come to harm

To keep it safe we brought ammo and guns

Then one night we saw what we had done

 

Now there’s fire on the highway

One man laying dead

We tried to talk it out

But the guns spoke instead

 

With all the roads blocked we wonder who to blame

That it’s come down to this makes us answer why we came

Now the law will decide just what we did

And I’ll be in jail, lost to all my kids

 

Now there’s fire on the highway

One man laying dead

We tried to talk it out

But the guns spoke instead

 

The end of the line is coming near

We’ll leave this land to antelope and deer

It all started with intentions of good

Instead we’re handcuffed and wearing hoods

 

Now there’s fire on the highway

One man laying dead

We tried to talk it out

But the guns spoke instead

 

I know I’ll miss my wife and children’s time

Once I’m convicted of a felony crime

Next time I protest I’ll do it in peace

And never return to Oregon’s east

 

Now there’s fire on the highway

One man laying dead

We tried to talk it out

But the guns spoke instead

 

Fire on the highway

One man laying dead

We tried to talk it out

But the guns spoke instead

 

Guns spoke instead, again

Guns spoke instead