Hells Canyon Highway

Jessie crossed the county line in a hotwired Cadillac
Rollin’ down ninety five
Flyin’ through the pines, blowin’ past Tamarack
Barely made it out alive
Met a drop dead little red head
She said her name was Betty Blue
Kept a forty-five under her feather bed
And not a word she said was true

* Met her at the Laundromat by the Maytag machines
Pasting pictures of herself in them movie star magazines

Jessie’d only been a year out of the pen
A workin’ man on parole
When Betty took his hand the trouble all began
Temptation took control
She called him honey, she took all his money
She said they could have some fun
When Jessie came too, Betty left him blue
With a heartache and a smokin’ gun

She told him she was twenty-one
Well, she might’ve been seventeen
Pastin’ pictures of herself in them movie star magazines

CHORUS:
Hells Canyon Highway, carryin’ a heavy load
The poor boy swore he’d change his ways
But he drove down the devil’s road

Last time a round the sheriff shot him down
Put a bullet behind his ear
Lookin’ down at himself on the ground
Jessie saw it all so clear
Made a solemn vow somehow
He would turn his life around
Now Jessie cries when he hears that lonesome
Siren sound

(REPEAT * & CHORUS)

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