Riding With Private Malone

I was just out of the service

Thumbin' through the classifieds

When an ad that said "Old Chevy"

Somehow caught my eye

The lady didn't know the year

Or even if it ran

But I had that thousand dollars in my hand

It was way back in the corner of this old ramshackle barn

With thirty years of dust and dirt on that green army tarp

And when I pulled the cover off

It took away my breath

What she called a Chevy

Was a sixty-six Corvette

And I felt a little guilty as I counted out the bills

But what a thrill I got

When I sat behind the wheel

I opened up the glovebox

And that's when I found the note

The date was 1966 and this is what he wrote

He said my name is Private Andrew Malone

And if your readin' this, then I didn't make it home

But for every dream that's shattered

Another one comes true

This car was once a dream of mine

Now it belongs to you

Though you may take her and make her your own

You'll always be riding with Private Malone

Well it didn't take me long at all

I had her runnin' good

I loved to hear those horses thunder underneath her hood

I had her shinin' like a diamond and I put the rag top down

All the pretty girls would stop and stare as I drove her throughtown

The buttons on the radio didn't seem to work quite right

But it picked up that Oldie's Show

Especially late at night

I get the feelin' sometimes If I turned real quick I'd see

A soldier ridin' shotgun

In the seat right next to me

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone

Who fought for his country and never made it home

But for every dream that's shattered

There's another that comes true

This car was once a dream of his back when it was new

He told me to take her and make her my own

And I was proud to be riding with Private Malone

Well one night it was rainin' hard

I took the curve too fast

I still don't remember much about that firey crash

But someone said they thought they saw a soldier pull me out

They didn't get his name

But I know without a doubt

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone

Who fought for his country and never made it home

But for every dream that's shattered

There's another that comes true

This car was once a dream of his back when it was new

And I know I wouldn't be here if he hadn't tagged along

Yeah that night I was riding with Private Malone

Oh thank God I was riding with Private Malone

Private Malone