I wrote this song when I was 17 years old (in the late 1970s). I was hitchhiking late one evening and got caught in a summer squall. As I was walking along on the freshly clean pavement the first verse popped into my head. I sang the song until it made sense on the rest of that long late night walk. The lyrics were written out and I would revisit them from time to time. As I went through the different phases of life they changed and grew. The final product you read here is what happens after 35+ years of rewrites. -MK
For both “Road” and “End of the Road?”, Mike basically sang me the song and I extracted the harmonic structure from him singing them to me. On “Road”, as far as his input for what he wanted the actual piece to sound like, he just kept telling me, “Drums. Lots of drums.” My first take was lots of drums all over the place to which he clarified, “Drums, but lots of deep drums–lower toms. Those kinds of drums.” So what you hear is lots of toms, lower toms! My favorite line on the album–“they’ll be leaving soon to repeat my mistakes.” Oh, how so painfully, painfully true. -CG
I’ve been walking this road, twenty miles or more
My pants are soggy, and my feet are sore
Taking a trip, looking for truth
I’ll be back soon, to share it with you
It’s a big span
Don’t get me wrong
A year of life
Is so awful long
I’ve been walking this road, eighteen years or more
Learning my lessons, and my brain is sore
Going to school, learning their truth
I’ll be back then, to untwist it for you
Comin’ back soon
Don’t get me wrong
But a decade more
Is so very long
I’ve been walking this road, half a life or more
My kids are older, and my body’s sore
Raising them right, keeping them safe
They’ll be leaving soon, to repeat my mistakes
I’ll be back soon
Don’t get me wrong
Time with family
Didn’t seem that long
I’ve been walking this road, a lifetime or more
My days are over, I’ll soon see the door
Wish I could help you, with what I’ve learned
But that is wisdom, you’ll have to earn
I’ll be back soon
Don’t get me wrong
A span of life
Is not very long
