Raelene Wheeler Lyrics

(Dallas Wayne, Robbie Fulks)

V.1
RAELEEN WHEELER WAS THE FIRST GIRL I LOVED
THROUGH THE LAST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, WE WERE THICKER THAN BLOOD
HOLED UP IN MISSISSIPPI, AND STARVIN� FOR FUN
WE MADE LOVE AND DREAMED UP PLACES TO RUN
I WAS BURNIN� THAT SUMMER WITH THE BIG DREAMS I HAD
AND THE SONGS I�D WRITTEN, WELL, THE WORLD NEEDED BAD
BUT A PRETTY GIRL NEEDS MORE COMFORT AND GOLD
THAN A BEAT-UP BLACK NOTEBOOK IS LIKELY TO HOLD

CH.1
HEY, RAELENE, IT�S A WIDE WORLD BETWEEN PEARL RIVER AND THE BRIGHT L.A. LIGHTS
AND IF I�D DONE IT ALL WITHOUT DREAMIN� I�D STILL BE IN JACKSON TONIGHT

V.2
HOLLYWOOD HOPEFULS AIN�T AN ENDANGERED BREED
BUT LUCK IS LIKE LIGHTNIN�, AND IT SURE STRUCK ME
THE HIT SONGS, THE WOMEN, THE STANDING-ROOM HALLS
AND TWENTY YEARS OF HARD LABOR, HOLDIN� ON TO IT ALL
LOUISIANA I-20 HEADED EAST FROM MONROE
A BUS BOUND FOR JACKSON AND A HOMECOMING SHOW
STARING THROUGH THE DARK GLASS AT THE FLAT MILES BEYOND
TRYIN� NOT TO LOOK AT A FACE THAT IS GONE

CH.2
HEY, RAELENE, A WIFE AT 19, BUT I HEARD YOU MADE OUT ALL RIGHT
AND EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, I WONDER ARE YOU SOMEWHERE IN JACKSON TONIGHT

V.3
WELL, WE KILLED �EM, WE CRUSHED �EM, BURNED THE PLACE TO THE GROUND
AND IN THE DRESSING ROOM QUIET, I WAS STILL COMING DOWN
WHEN IN THE DOORWAY APPEARED AN OLD FLAME, FULL-GROWN
LOOKING PRETTY AS EVER, AND ENTIRELY ALONE
SHE SAID THE DIVORCE NEARLY BROKE HER, SHE WAS LEARNING TO STAND
AND AS SHE TALKED IT CAME CLEARER THAT SHE WANTED A HAND
SO I DREW HER CLOSE TO ME, AND I KISSED MY SWEET RAE
AND THE MILES AND THE MEMORIES JUST MELTED AWAY

V.4
THEN I GLANCED IN THE MIRROR, AND IN A SPLIT SECOND�S TIME
JUST BEFORE RECOGNIZING THAT OLD FACE AS MINE
I SAW A STRANGE, SAD MAN IN A CHEAP RHINESTONE SHIRT
AND A WOMAN HE HELD ONTO LIKE HIS LAST HOPE ON EARTH
HE WAS WORN AND TROD DOWN AS THE ROAD HE�D BEEN ON
AND HIS EYES WERE HALF-DEAD, LOOKIN� TOO HARD, TOO LONG
HIS LIFE MEASURED IN NIGHTS THAT FLASHED AND GREW DIM
LEAVING NO ONE REALLY HAPPY, LEAST OF ALL HIM

V.5
THEN THE LOADING GATE SLAMMED, AND I LET MY ARMS FALL
WE TRADED NUMBERS, SMALL TALK, PROMISED TO CALL
AND AS SHE FADED FROM ME, AND THE NIGHT CLOSED AROUND
I PICKED UP A BLACK NOTEBOOK AND I LET IT SPILL DOWN

CH.3
HEY, RAELENE, IT�S A LONG WAY BETWEEN THE WANTIN� AND THE MAKIN� IT RIGHT
AND IF I WAS THE ONE THAT YOU NEEDED I�D NEVER LEAVE JACKSON TONIGHT
(TAG) YEAH, IF I HAD IT ALL TO DO OVER I�D STILL BE IN JACKSON TONIGHT

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