This song is about a trucker making a haul. Written by drummer Robbie Bachman and bass player Fred Turner (who sang lead), the song tapped into the '70s fascination with trucking culture. A year later, C.W. McCall scored a US #1 with the similarly themed "Convoy." Unlike McCall's song, "Roll On Down the Highway" is pure rock, employing a heavy sound for the song about the big rig.
Randy Bachman and Fred Turner would often give themselves assignments as motivation to write songs, often writing something in the style of a current hit. This song evolved out of something they wrote for a Ford commercial. In our interview with Randy Bachman, he explained: "It's like getting an assignment: write a new commercial for Ford and you'll get paid $100,000. Well, I'd sit down and I'd write a commercial for Ford, 'let it roll down the highway.' Ford never picks it up and I have a song called 'Roll On Down the Highway.'"
Lyrics
We rented a truck and a semi to go
Travel down the long and the winding road
Look on the map, I think we've been there before
Close up the doors, let's roll once more
Cop's on the corner, look he's starting to write
Well, I don't need no ticket so I screamed out of sight
Drove so fast that my eyes can't see
Look in the mirror, is he still following me?
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll
Look at the sign, we're in the wrong place
Move out boys and let's get ready to race
Four fifty-four's coming over the hill
The man on patrol is gonna give us a bill
The time's real short, you know the distance is long
I'd like to have a jet but it's not in the song
Climb back in the cab, cross your fingers for luck
We gotta keep moving if we're going to make a buck
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll
Let it roll
Let it roll
Let it roll
Let it roll
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll, roll
Down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll, roll
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll, roll
Songwriters: Charles Turner / Randy Bachman / Robin Bachman
Roll On Down The Highway lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Comments