Started back for Ithaca to put my ramblin days to rest
And pack up three long years I spent crashin town an uninvited guest
The Georgia sun was shinin loud but a cloud it hung above me
Cause that lady dropped her needles long ago – I doubt she ever
loved me
Atlanta’s lights were burnin bright in my rear view, a distant Eden
And the angels’ swords were flaming Lord, burned my soul as I watched
them all recedin
And I didn’t know just what I missed more, her smile or the life we
left behind us
Bill sang side one bout the damage done, and we crossed into Carolina
Charlotte was a memory, and Richmond still a distant dreamin
And I hurtled through that Southern night, all flags a-flyin and
engines screamin
In self defense my heart emptied its chambers, one by one in quick
bolt action
Bill sang once again bout this damnable skin as we rode with Lee
and Jackson
The Pennsylvania mountains were cold and dark and looked through
me accusin
And I held my coffee close but couldn’t escape the tally of all
that I was losin
Wondered out loud how my heart had gotten so disordered
Bill sang side two can you take the truth as we crossed the
New York border
Yeah rollin back into Ithaca it was icy in my veins
But the more I packed up that big old truck the warmer it became
Drove downtown for one more round like Lot’s wife stealin one
last glance
Stepped one foot out and searched the place tryin to separate
soul and circumstance
Salty tears stung my eyes as I looked back on all my dreams of
faded glory
In the distance was Bill singin Double Cure Hill, and he was
singin that song just for me
Yeah then I took one long last look up at the stars, and down at
the cars and the bars that littered Collegetown
I waved once more, smiled, and closed the door, and pointed the
wheel back southbound