The Road Goes on Forever Songtext
von Joe Ely

Sherry was a waitress at the only joint in town
She had a reputation as a girl who′d been around
Down Main Street after midnight, a brand new pack of cigs
A fresh one hangin' from her lips, a beer between her legs
She′d ride down to the river and meet with all her friends
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.

Sonny was a loner older than the rest
He was going in the navy but he couldn't pass the test
So he hung around town--He sold a little pot
The law caught wind of Sonny and one day he got caught
But he was back in business when they set him free again
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.

Sonny's playin′ eight-ball at the joint where Sherry works
When some drunken out-a-towner put his hand up Sherry′s skirt
Sonny took his pool cue--Laid the drunk out on the floor
Stuffed a dollar in her tip jar and walked on out the door
She's runnin′ right behind him, reachin' for his hand
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.


They jumped into his pickup, Sonny jammed her down in gear
Sonny looked at Sherry said, "Let′s get on outta here."
The stars were high above 'em--The moon was in the east
The sun was settin′ on 'em when they reached Miami Beach
They got a Motel by the water and a quart of Bombay Gin
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.

They soon ran out of money, but Sonny knew a man
Who knew some Cuban refugees that dealt in contraband
Sonny met the Cubans in a house just off the route
With a briefcase full of money and a pistol in his boot
The cards were on the table when the law came bustin' in
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.

The Cubans grabbed the goodies, Sonny grabbed the jack
He broke the bathroom window and climbed on out the back
Sherry drove the pickup through the alley on the side
Where a lawman tackled Sonny and was readin′ him his rights
She stepped out in the alley with a single shot four-ten
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.

They left the lawman layin there, They made their get away
Got back to the motel just before the break of day
Sonny gave her all the money and he blew her a little kiss
"If they ask you how this happened say I forced you into this."
She watched him as his tail lights disappeared around the bend
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.


It′s Main Street after midnight just like it was before
twenty-one months later at the local grocery store
Sherry buys a paper and a cold six-pack of beer
The headlines on the paper read that Sonny is going to the chair
She pulls back onto Main Street in her new Mercedes Benz
The road goes on forever and the party never ends...