Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues

Subject: Easy Ride From Good Times to the Blues
From: BlueSage
Date: 21 Apr 02 - 03:09 AM

Does anyone one know the lyrics to a Herb Pedersen song I believe is titled 'Easy Ride From Good Times to the Blues'. I first heard it on an old album by the Seldom Scene, probably mid 70's. I tried at that time to work it up but was stumped trying to decipher some of the lyrics off the album. I later heard a solo album by Herb with this song, but again had no luck figuring out the words. Any help would be appreciated.

...Mike

Subject: Lyr Add: EASY RIDE FROM GOOD TIMES TO THE BLUES
From: Pene Azul
Date: 21 Apr 02 - 03:32 AM

Found here.

EASY RIDE FROM GOOD TIMES TO THE BLUES
(Herb Pedersen)

CHO: It's an easy ride from good times to the blues
I've been riding that old highway flashing signs to help me choose
Hell I know I've done you wrong
Didn't take me long
It's an easy ride from good times to the blues

1. Driving ninety-nine and making time
Hauling for the Red Ball line
A hundred thousand hours behind the wheel
Just a little smile from you
The rig is running through
Took me fifty nights alone to break with you CHO.

2. Starlight coffee out in sixty-four
Waitress said she'd offer more
The sun was going down in her life too
Strong coffee and a tin-pot lover
Looking to the rooms to cover
My early morning thoughts roll back to you

I've been riding hard and my wheels call your name
Well San Antone you summer love how could it be the same
You old gray mare you wait
Said I were no saint
If you can live with that your way you'll be again CHO.

It's an easy ride from good times to the blues

THE SELDOM SCENE - The New Album

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride From Good Times to the Blue
From: BlueSage
Date: 21 Apr 02 - 04:05 AM

Thanks for the lyrics and the web link. I couldn't figure out the words to verse two. The part about "tin pot lover" still doesn't make sense to me but that's the case in many songs. Thanks again for the prompt reply to my thread.... Mike

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride From Good Times to the Blues
From: Knappo
Date: 21 Apr 02 - 06:47 AM

I had trouble with this one too. My guess was; "strong coffee and a ten buck lover.." and " the ol' grey mare you ain't...your way ahead of the game" I think mine makes more sense, sort of. Glad to have the correct lyrics,thanks also. Tom

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride From Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST,mr geeze
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 07:15 AM

been playing that song for decades and never knew the words correctly. oh well mumblin's worked fine till now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST,Silicon Valley Jim
Date: 08 Feb 10 - 10:31 PM

I think that the last line of the last verse may be "if you can live with that you're way up in the game." I had always thought that it was "ten-watt lover", but, having read these lyrics, "tin-pot lover" makes more sense to me. Happy to have the help.

Herb Pedersen himself recorded this on his LP (now CD) "Lonesome Feeling"; it may be that he sings the lyrics more clearly than John Starling did with the Seldom Scene.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jan 12 - 10:36 AM

Does anyone have the chords? I can't seem to get it started...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 14 - 04:39 PM

I've asked Herb to send me the lyrics because I don't think any of the above are correct. On his CD, he doesn't sing the lines about a mule - there's just a two line bridge. Please check back to his site. I will post as soon as I hear from him and I think I will - hopefully soon. I do not like singing incorrect lyrics - especially ones that make no sense.

Subject: Lyr Add: EASY RIDE (Herb Pedersen)
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 14 - 06:55 PM

EASY RIDE
Written by Herb Pedersen
As sung by Herb Pedersen on "Lonesome Feeling" (1984)

Ch. It's an easy ride from good times to the blues
I've been driving that old highway flashing signs to help me
choose
Well I know I've done you wrong
Didn't take me long
It's an easy ride from good times to the blues

1. Driving ninety-nine and making time
Hauling for the Red Ball line
A hundred thousand hours behind the wheel
With a little smile from you
The rig is running thru
Took me fifty nights alone to make me feel

Ch.

2. Starlight Cafe out in sixty four
Waitress said she'd offer more
The sun was going down in her life too
Strong coffee and a tin pot lover
Looking to the rooms to cover
My early morning thoughts roll back to you

I've been riding hard and my wheels call your name
San Antone you summer love how could it be the same

Ch

You old gray mare you wait
Said I were no saint
If you can live with that your way you'll be again


As sung by Herb Pedersen at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT75olrau7M

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Jan 14 - 07:16 PM

Tin pot is fairly common slang for inferior, second-rate, chickenshit, etc. -substitute your own disparaging term.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 14 - 07:27 PM

"You old gray mare you wait
Said I were no saint
If you can live with that your way you'll be again"

My mistake: that part ain't on that recording.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Jan 14 - 11:46 AM

I've been listening to both Seldom Scene's recording AND Herb Pedersen's recording (they're both on Spotify), and I hear a few words differently than the above two transcriptions.

Verse 1, line 5:
My rig is running true [not "through"]

Verse 1, line 6:
"It took me fifty nights alone to make me feel" [not "break with you" (which doesn't even rhyme)]
Both Seldom Scene and Herb Pedersen sing it this way.

Verse 2, line 1:
"Starlight Café [not 'coffee'] out on [not 'in'] Sixty-Four"

Verse 2, line 4:
"Strong coffee and a ... ... lover"
This has me stumped. It's not "tin pot." The first word sound like "tin," "ted," or "ten;" the second word sounds like "white" or "wide." I think it's the same on both recordings. None of those combinations makes sense to me.

Verse 2, line 5:
Seldom Scene sings: "Lookin' to the ... to cover" or possibly "Look into the ..."
Herb Pedersen sings: "Thinkin' 'bout her ... to cover"
The middle word is probably "wounds" but could be "rooms" or maybe even "roots."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Feb 14 - 09:42 PM

This has gotten interesting. I heard that it's "tin-pot" lover which is a term meaning second rate or crummy which would make sense but I don't hear Herb singing the word "pot". The guy on Herb's facebook page said it's ten wired lover which is over my head unless it's slang also.   
Also - it's "looking for her roads to cover" according to my same source. I thought it sounded like "work" I am still waiting to hear directly from Herb and will see what he has to say about it.
this is driving me NUTS.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST,Joe in Ireland
Date: 10 Feb 14 - 05:43 PM

Verse 2, line 4:

" … strong coffee and a ten watt lover …" ?

as in, er, underwhelming, underpowered, unimpressive? That's how I've always sung it (badly).

Joe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Feb 14 - 04:39 PM

I have listened again to both recordings and I am now convinced that "ten-watt lover" is correct.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 11:27 AM

I'm still going nuts with this and am trying to find sheet music for it. I made up my own words on the second verse that make better sense to me. I do stuff like that. Anyway, On the strong coffee line I'm thinking it could be .....WHITE LOVER referring to the pills truckerz take to stay awake (whites). Such a mystery. The last line is "way AHEAD of the game". The "old gray mare" thing is on the Dillard's version with Herb singing but on his Lonesome Feeling CD - he just uses a 2 line bridge and leaves that part off. I like to play it that way better to get some cool chords in before the chorus. Still haven't heard from Herb. Him and Brad Pitt just will not answer my texts.
:)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Easy Ride from Good Times to the Blues
From: GUEST,eliotb
Date: 11 Jul 14 - 05:38 PM

I corresponded with Pedersen and cleared up the lyrics. A couple of things to clean up what is above.

My rig is running true (not through)

Strong coffee and a ten-watt lover (weak)
thinking 'bout her wounds to cover


San Antonio summer love how could it be the same

Duffey sings it as San Antone you summer love

If you can live with that you're way ahead of the game

and finally,

he wrote/sings it as xxx driving that old highway ... driving hard and my wheels call your name ...
seldom scene doing it as xxx riding that old highway, and use riding in place of driving throughout.

if anyone's desperate for a clean copy as written with chords on it (though i have a couple of chords fractionally out of place with the text), you can send me your email and i'll send back a copy. [e-mail]