Smoky Mountain Taxi

Well, I caught a taxi in the old Smoky Mountains,

I had to get to the airport, before ten o'clock

Had to check out of my funky motel room

And the nearest bus station was a ten mile walk

Well, the taxi cab pulled up and the driver stepped out

She wore a pink shirt with black slacks and some cheap perfume

There were holes in her smile and she talked kinda raspy

And she was shaped like the sister of "Earthquake McGoon"

Well the sunrise was hazy and my suitcase was heavy

And she lit up a smoke while my shoulder bags sagged

She said "I'll take you as far as the Hickory Airport

But I'm ain't gettin' paid to carry your bags"

I took a two hour taxi through North Carolina,

I heard more bluegrass music, than I wanted to hear

And the big lady driver, she had a tattoo of Jesus

Said "let the lord bless you and keep you my dear"

Said "let the lord bless you and keep you my dear"

The cab smelled like menthols and the floorboards were dirty

From styrofoam cups and old cigarettes

She said "I hope that my daughter doesn't pick up my habits

she's just nine years old, and she's way to young yet"

Well I looked out my window at the old Smoky Mountains

while she sang high harmonies with Charlie Monroe

And the air smelled like hickory mixed in with the menthol

And both sides of the highway were covered with snow

She said "Most of my family lives in a trailor"

But my husband hauls diesel so we're not on relief"

And I pictured him somewhere of some lonely truckstop

He was hittin' on a waitress with a good set of teeth

Chorus

Well I reached for my billfold as we pulled in the airport

She blew me a kiss while she counted the cost

And when she pulled away there were mandolins playing

With the smoke from the menthols and the tail-pipe exhaust

Outro Instrumental