LyricMeaning

Shades of Gray
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.

We made Oklahoma a little after 3
Randy, his brother Bob and my old G-M-C
We had some moonshine whiskey
And some of Bob's homegrown
We were so messed up we didn't know
If we were drunk or stoned
Randy was a sad-sack, tall kinda frail
Bob was a raving maniac, crazy in the head
They been kicked out of high school several years ago
For pushin' over port-a-cans at the 4-H rodeo
Since then they've done their little dance
Right outside the law
Popped twice in Oklahoma, once in Arkansas
And I don't know what possessed me
To want to tag along
Cause I was raised a Christian
And I knew right from wrong

[Chorus]
Right or wrong, black or white
Cross the line your gonna pay
In the dawn before the light
Live and die by the shades of gray
We stole two Charolais heifers from
Randy's sweetheart's paw
Sold them at the livestock sale
Outside of Wichita

We got $900 and never did suspect
The world of hurt we'd be in once
We cashed that check
Next day we heard the story
On the local radio
Made our plans that very night
To go to Mexico
I swear we would have made it
If it wasn't for that shine
I got sick about the time we crossed
That Kansas line

[Chorus]

I was layin in the bar ditch
Prayin I would die
When a light come on above us
And a voice come from the sky
A half a dozen unmarked cars
Came screeching to a halt
They grabbed bob, he started screamin'
It was all my fault

There were men and dogs
And helicopter buzzin' all around
They had the brothers on the
Pickup hood and me down on the ground
Bob flew all to pieces but randy he
Held tight when a black man in a
Suit and tie stepped out into the light
He told his men to turn us loose
They put down their guns
He said these are just some
Sorry kids, they ain't the ones

[Chorus]

They left us by the roadside
Down hearted and alone
Randy got behind the wheel
Said boys I'm going home
We turned around to face our fate
Downhearted but alive on that
Mornin' in late April, Oklahoma, 1995


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Lyrics by Robert Earl Keen, Jr.

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