The Road
Aaron Lewis Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a thousand miles in eighteen hours
I got to double drive down south by 35
I got the hammer down Detroit made
5 25 pushing my ass right down that line

And that smell of burning diesel fuel
Just tells me that I'm back out on the road
I got a full grown creeping out on my tail
And I won't make bail in that small time jail
No not around here

I got the bird dog on radio cranked
Gear jamming lane changing son of a bitch
You bet you son
And that smell of burning diesel fuel
Just tells me that I'm back out on the road

Just left the jail with a hand full of pills
And I won't quit till I hit the coupe in Abilene
I'm almost there there's just a few more miles
I'll make the drop and I'll turn and burn
I'm out of here

And that smell of burning diesel fuel
Just tells me that I'm back out on the road




And that smell of burning diesel fuel
Just tells me that I'm back out on the road

Overall Meaning

Aaron Lewis's song The Road reflects the reality of life as a trucker, depicting the thrill of the open road and the dangers that come with it. The singer is driving double time from Detroit down south by 35, desperate to drop off a package in Abilene. He's got a full-grown eager to pull him over, and the possibility of imminent arrest hangs over his head. But the singer isn't deterred, he's got a bird dog on the radio and a gear-jamming, lane-changing son of a bitch ready to take on whatever the road throws at him. The smell of burning diesel fuel is like an adrenaline shot, waking him up to the reality of life on the road.


Despite the danger, the singer refuses to quit until he reaches his destination. He's just left the jail with a handful of pills, determined to make the drop before regret sets in. The final few miles are the most challenging, but the singer doesn't slow down. He makes the drop and turns and burns, back out onto the road with the scent of burning diesel fuel trailing behind. The song is a celebration of the grit and determination it takes to be a trucker, the thrill of the open road, and the limitations of a life on the run.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a thousand miles in eighteen hours
I have to cover a distance of thousands of miles within a short span of eighteen hours


I got to double drive down south by 35
I need to drive twice as fast down south on the route 35


I got the hammer down Detroit made
I am driving really fast on this Detroit made car


5 25 pushing my ass right down that line
I am driving at 525 miles per hour straight down the road


And that smell of burning diesel fuel
The smell of diesel fuel indicates that I am back out on the road, where I belong


Just tells me that I'm back out on the road
The smell of burning diesel is the signature scent of a trucker's life on the road


I got a full grown creeping out on my tail
A police car is following me and I do not want to get caught


And I won't make bail in that small time jail
I am confident that I will not end up in a small-town jail and get stuck there for a long time


No not around here
I know how to escape the law enforcement system in this area


I got the bird dog on radio cranked
I am using a powerful radio to relay information to avoid getting caught


Gear jamming lane changing son of a bitch
I am driving aggressively, changing lanes frequently, and outsmarting other drivers on the road


You bet you son
I am confident in my driving abilities and have a clear path ahead of me


Just left the jail with a hand full of pills
I just got out of the jail and I have some pills in my hand


And I won't quit till I hit the coupe in Abilene
I won't stop driving until I reach the town of Abilene where I have to deliver something.


I'm almost there there's just a few more miles
I am quite close to my destination and need to drive just a few more miles to reach it


I'll make the drop and I'll turn and burn
I will quickly and skillfully make the delivery and leave the place as soon as possible


I'm out of here
I will leave this place in a hurry once I am done




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IYIOLA BABALOLA, LISA GREENE, TOM JONES, DARREN LEWIS, ARMANDO MANZANERO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions