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Spoken version
A recorded reading of “Open Road Gospel”. If the player does not load, use the original audio source.
Thermos steam, truck-stop hymnals of tyre hiss. Mile-markers hum in four-part rain. We pass a chapel made of sodium lamps; I raise a hand like witness, not to preach. The tarmac answers in a low amen— burger wrap, map smear, diesel psalm. I let the chorus end on sky.
Alternative version
Milepost psalms on a midnight lane. Truck-stop coffee, cheap and strong—moving on. Headlights write the wet black road. No sky-throne needed—just sunrise on my side. If I’m lost, let the road confess; if I’m scared, let the sky say yes. Roll— and rise: let morning open wide. Open-road gospel, heat-hymn; every heartbeat keeps the beat. Billboard grin on a tired wall; the past shrinks in the mirror. Windows down; the air tastes new; friends in the back sing me through. Every wrong turn, every detour sign built a better spine. Hands on the wheel. Breathe. I used to wait for a perfect day; now I make one in the messy rain—witnessed by the road. Roll and rise.
Lyrics
(Oh—) Milepost psalms on a midnight lane, Steel-string pray in the windowpane. Truck-stop coffee, cheap and strong, Still it tastes like moving on. Headlights write on the wet black road, Every mile’s a lighter load. I don’t need heaven up in the sky, I need the sunrise on my side. If I’m lost, let the road confess, If I’m scared, let the sky say yes. If my hands shake, keep them true, I’m a wheel and a vow and a breakthrough. Roll— Roll and rise, Let the morning open wide. Roll and rise, I’m a song that won’t divide. Open road gospel, hymn in the heat, Every heartbeat keeps the beat. (Whoa-oh-oh) take me on, (Whoa-oh-oh) I’m not done. Billboard grin on a tired wall, I laugh like “you don’t know me at all.” Rearview shows the past still small, But I don’t live there, not at all. Windows down, the air tastes new, Friends in the back singing me through. Every wrong turn, every detour sign Built a better way to find my spine. If I’m lost, let the road confess, If I’m scared, let the sky say yes. If my hands shake, keep them true, I’m a wheel and a vow and a breakthrough. Amen— A— gain— Roll and rise, Let the morning open wide. Roll and rise, I’m a song that won’t divide. Open road gospel, hymn in the heat, Every heartbeat keeps the beat. (Whoa-oh-oh) take me on, (Whoa-oh-oh) I’m not done. (Hands on the wheel. Breathe.) I used to wait for a perfect day, Now I make one in the messy rain. Let the road be my witness line— I’m alive, and I’m finally mine. Now— Roll and rise… [Lead] Roll— [BVs] AND RISE! [Lead] Open— [BVs] ROAD GOSPEL!
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