From the recording Never Tire, Never Stop
Music - Matt Allen, Lyrics - J.Ryan Wilson Rhythm Train Songs SOCAN
Lyrics
Devil’s Backbone J. Ryan Wilson/Matt Allen
V1
Drivin’ my diesel up the Devil’s Backbone
A day out of Midland and a week from home
I gotta flatbed loaded with sacked up mud
half a dozen bits and some two by four studs
I’ve been huggin’ the white line to make it on time
the driller’s waitin’ for this load o’ mine
They’ve been takin’ up pipe from five miles down
swap out the bit, and go another round
Solo
Bridge/Chorus
They’re lookin’ for crude, but gas’ll do
it’s been more than a year since they’ve struck
some say It don’t pay to take it outta the ground
but they keep on drillin’ down, prayin’ for luck
V2
I’ve driven the best form the wildcatters up
I’ve been a tool-pusher, roughneck, a roustabout
I’ve good in the booms, bad in the slumps
Up in the sky or down in the dumps
these West Texas backroads are long and straight
if my rig breaks down I’ll be buzzard bait
I gotta make it to the platform, make it on time
but I got this Devil’s Backbone to climb
Solo
Bridge Chorus
V3
If I had any kids, I’d tell ‘em to to stay
outta these fields, stay the hell away
I’ve had a lifetime of scrapin’ meat from the bone
A day out of Midland and a week from home
I’ve got three more hours of drivin’ to go
A day out of Midland and a week from home