New Cut Road Songtext
von Emmylou Harris

Folks, I′d like to do a song, it's written by a friend of mine
His name is Guy Clarke and ah, he recorded it and then Bobby Bare recorded it
Had a big hit with it, boy, when I heard that song I was so mad that I didn′t do it first
It's a great song, it has lots and lots of verses
And I've only ventured to do it once and I remembered ′em all, so...
We′ll see if I can keep my, my average up with this one
And we decided to do the song little different from the way everybody else has done it so
The most different thing we could think of was an accordion
And ah, Guy Clarke is not speaking to me but we're gonna do it anyway

Okay
One, two, one, two, three

Now, Coleman Bonner was a fiddle playin′ fool
A backwoods rounder and a breaker of mules
Coleman Bonner's got a wore out bow
He′s been playin' two days down new cut road

Now, Coleman′s little sister said, "You better act right
Coleman, daddy's gone to Louisville, he'll be back tonight
He′s gonna get another wagon and a good pair of mules
And we gonna move to Texas, we just waitin′ on you"


Now, Coleman's daddy, he pulled up in the yard
He said, "Pack up your lives, kids, it′s gettin' too hard
Kentucky′s alright but there's too many people
Why? Just the other day I thought I saw a church steeple

Now, Coleman said, "Daddy don′t you worry 'bout me
I'm gonna stay here in Kentucky ′til the day I breath
I′m gonna drink that sour mash and I'm gonna race that mare
And I got me a woman with the fox red hair"

"Now, y′all been movin' west since the day you got married
Well, I′m gettin' off the wagon, daddy, I′m too old to be carried
Gonna stay here in Kentucky 'til the bluegrass grow
I'm gonna play it all night down the new cut road"

Now, Coleman′s daddy said, "What′s it all comin' to
Young people these days are just as stubborn as mules
You can′t make him go, he's too old for that
It′s that damned old fiddle and that bowler hat"

Now, Coleman's mama said, "Let the boy stay
′Cause he's raised up solid, he can find his own way
But as for me, honey, I'm with you
Yeah, I always thought Kentucky was just passin′ through"


Now, Coleman′s little sister was then started to a cry
And his daddy shook his head for the very last time
Coleman's mama said, "Somebody′s gotta do it
Lord, there wouldn't be no Kentucky if you didn′t stick to it"

Coleman Booner stood on the porch of that cabin
Watched 'em all go to Texas in a covered wagon
Then he pulled out his fiddle and he rosined up his bow
And he played a little tune called "The New Cut Road"