Don't Go To Sleep On The Road - Shel Silverstein

Well, big John Henry Rucker

He was a greasy motor trucker

And he drove them big ol' diesels to L.A.

Drivin' outta Mobile

His darlin' wife, Camille

She would kiss him in his driveway

And she’d say

She’d say:

(Camille) Don’t go to sleep on the road, baby

(I won’t)

Don’t go to sleep on the road

(Lord, protect me)

Take what it takes (uh huh) to keep you awake

(I will)

But don’t go to sleep on the road.

Then Camille started singin' country music for a friend

Well you know a girl can’t stay too long alone.

First for friends

And then in bars

Then she soon became a star

And sometimes he’d hear her record

And he’d groan…

Singin':

(Camille) Don’t go to sleep on the road, baby

(Shel) (Tears in his eyes)

Don’t go to sleep on the road

Take what it takes (uh huh) to keep you awake

(Shel) (I will)

But don’t go to sleep on the road.

Yes… and her records started movin' up the charts

And became number one

And she got.

she got entertainer of the year

And she got her hair done

And got a boob job

And got her an affair with the bass player.

And he got hemorrhoids.

He was drivin' hell for leather

Through the California weather

When that California sky began to rain

And that hill was wet and steep

Oh, he shore could use some sleep

But his darlin’s words kept ringin' through his brain.

(Camille singing chorus in the background while Shel sings:)

That eastbound rig was hummin'

Lord, he never seen it comin'

And he woke up starin' at the sky

In the wreck and in the rain

With the radio still playin'

And the last words that he heard before he died

Was Camille

Still singin':

(Camille) Don’t go to sleep on the road, baby

(Shel) (What a way to die)

(Camille) Don’t go to sleep on the road

(Camille and Shel) Take what it takes to keep you awake

Oh, but don’t go to sleep on the road.

And he went to sleep on the rooooooad.