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