I was thumbin' back from montgomery
with a guitar on my back
when a stranger pulled up beside me in an antique cadillac.
well, he was dressed like 1950, half drunk and hallow eyed
its a long walk to nashville, would you like a ride, son.
he sat down in the front seat, and turned on the radio
and them sad old songs comin' outta them speakers was solid country gold.
then i noticed the stranger was ghost white pale when he asked me for a light.
and knew there was somethin' strange about this ride.
chorus:
he said: mister can you make folks cry when you play and sang.
can you pay your dues, can you moan the blues
can you bend them guitar strangs.
he said: boy, can you make folks feel what you feel inside,
cause if your big star bound let me warn you its a long hard ride.
well, he cried just south of nashville, and he turned that car around.
he said: (spoken) this is where you get off, boy
cause i'm going back to alabam'.
i stepped out of that ole cadillac and i said mister, many thanks.
he said you don't have to call me mister, mister.
the whole world calls me hank.
repeat chorus