Ever South Drive-By Truckers

We packed our few belongings and we moved across the ocean
To start a new life in this land so bold and vast
Dispersed from Ellis Island, my distant Irish kin
Eyes cut to the future, heart’s tied to the past

We held tight to our loved ones and we held on to the promise
And we scraped our meager living hand to mouth
We prayed to what would have us, every doubting John Thomas
Spreading through the Appalachia ever south
Spread through Appalachia ever south

And I hear we weren’t welcomed here, at least not in those days
No one needs our drunken, fighting, thieving kind
But we settled in this new place and we worked it in our ways
And spread our kin upon it in due time
Spread our kin upon it in due time

And we fought our losing battles and we held onto our ways
And we talk of how we left behind our better days
Some were living lives of leisure, some surviving hand to mouth
Bash our heads against the future, ever south
Bash our heads against the future ever south

When I set my sights upon you, we were both still in our prime
We were moving in big circles that I sought out to combine
And I held you in my arms and swore eternal love this time
Tried to lasso brighter futures and let it drag us both behind
Lasso brighter futures, let it drag us both behind