Story Behind The Song

From the movie with Robert Mitchun...cover also the results of the chase by federal agents NAS car races was born

Song Description

Tennessee moonshiner on the run

Lyrics

Ballad Of Thunder Road

Let me tell the story, I can tell it all
about the mountainboy who ran illigeal alcohol
his daddy made the whiskey, son, he drove the load
and when his engine roard, the called the highway Thonder Road

Sometimes into Ashville, sometimes Memphis town
the revenoors chased him but they coudn't run him down
each time they thought they had him his engine would explode
and he'd go by like they were standin' still on Thunder Road

Chorus
And there was thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine. And white lighting was his load
there was moonshine, moonshine to quench the devil's thrist
the law they swore they'd get him, but the devil got him first.

On the first of April, 1954
a Federal man sent word he better make his run no more
he said 200 agents were coverin' the state
whichever road he tried to take, they get him sure as fate

Son, his daddy told him, make this run your last
the tank is filled with 100-proof, your all tuned up and gassed
now don't take any chances, if you can't get through
I'd rather have you back again then all that mountain dew.

Chorus

Roarin' out of Harlan, evvin' up his mill
he shot the gap at Cumberland, and screamed by Maynordsville
with T-men on his tailights, roadblocks up ahead
the mountain boy took roads that even angels feared to tred

Blazing right through Knoxville, out on Kingston Pike
then right outside of Bearden, they made their fatal strike.
He left the road at 90; that's all there is to say.
The devil got the moonshine and the mountain boy that day.

Chorus