Lyr Req: Diesel on My Tail (Jim Fagan)

Subject: There's a diesel on my tail.
From: Bob
Date: 05 Dec 97 - 09:00 AM

A few days ago I heard a cute song and the chorus ended something like this:

Can this compact take the impact, There's a diesel on my tail.

I would like to find out where I can get the full lyrics for this one. Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: There's a diesel on my tail.
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 05 Dec 97 - 09:37 AM

Hi Bob, go here for the lyrics.
Wolfgang

Subject: RE: There's a diesel on my tail.
From: Bob Taylor
Date: 05 Dec 97 - 12:13 PM

Hi Wolfgang, Thanks so much for the help.

Subject: Lyr Add: DIESEL ON MY TAIL (Jim Fagan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 12:10 AM

Copied from http://www.holmesburgjam.com/D/D/Diesel_on_my_mind.html: (and corrected)


DIESEL ON MY MIND TAIL
Words & music by Jim Fagan
As sung by Jim & Jesse [McReynolds], 1967.

1. I just pulled onto the highway in my little foreign car.
Well, it's rainin' an' the road is really bad.
I never saw that big ol' diesel but I heard him hit the air.
I've got a feelin' that I might have made him mad.

2. He closed the gap between us, pushed the pedal on the floor.
He's makin' ninety in that big ol' diesel truck.
I can hear the names he's callin' me above the engine's roar,
An' the words won't be found in Webster's book.

CHORUS: There's a diesel on my tail a-makin' ninety miles an hour.
My reflection in my mirror is mighty pale.
I can hear St. Peter callin'; I can almost smell the flowers.
Can this compact take the impact? There's a diesel on my tail.

3. Well, I'm huffin' an' a-puffin' as I try to make the grade
An' I wish I had some pedals on this car,
An' I'm slippin' an' a-slidin' an' afraid to touch the brake
For the two of us this doodlebug could never stand the jar. CHORUS

4. Well, I'm slippin' an' a-slidin' tryin' to hold it on the road,
An' I tell you I just got to win this race.
While I'm tremblin' an' a-shakin' he's a-pourin' on the coal,
So close that I could steal his license plate. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Diesel on My Mind
From: michaelr
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 01:23 AM

The title is incorrect -- it is "Diesel on my Tail".

In the Digitrad here, without attribution.

Words and music by Jim Fagan

Recorded by Jim and Jesse McReynolds in 1966, a top-10 hit. Ian Matthews did a good version on the Plainsong album. And from memory, I think some of the words he sang were different:

Verse four, last line should be "For this doodle bug could never stand the jar".
The "two of us" is sure to be a mondegreen (mishearing). This is borne out by a Google lyric search (see Del Reeves) and by listening to J&J.

In the final verse, Matthews sings "While I'm tremblin' and a shakin' he's a blowin' on the horn", but this is probably his own change, as J&J definitely sing "pouring on the coal".

It would be good to get this corrected in the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diesel on My Tail (Jim Fagan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Apr 11 - 11:42 AM

Michaelr: You're right, and the lyrics above have now been corrected.

You can hear Jim & Jesse's version at YouTube.