Lonely Road
Cumberland River Lyrics


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Walking down this lonely road, with a guitar in my hand
I've walked away with all I own, just to try to clear my head
This life I live is killing me between, this woman and this band
One or the others gotta go, Ive gotta move on if i can

Well I know I've gotta leave, but I dont know where to start
All those years of loving you, has left me with a broken heart
But I'll find away to make it back to who I was before with this old guitar across my back
Well I'll open up that door





You wont even care, but on the day I walk away
The word i want to hear but ill never hear you say

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Cumberland River's "Lonely Road" suggest a well-worn trope in country music – the itinerant musician who is, even when surrounded by fans and friends, alone in his or her wanderings. "Walking down this lonely road," the singer tells us, "with a guitar in my hand." He has left everything he owns behind and set out to find some kind of solace or escape.


The source of his troubles is hinted at cryptically – "this woman and this band" – but it is clear that he feels torn between two worlds, and that he can no longer continue down this road. "One or the other's gotta go," he sings. "I've gotta move on if I can." The central conflict of the song is laid bare: the singer must choose between the love of his life and the passion that sustains him.


As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is not entirely sure what he is looking for. "Well I know I've gotta leave," he admits, "but I don't know where to start." He is caught between his memories of the past – "All those years of loving you" – and his desire to move forward. But he is determined to find a way to reconcile these conflicting impulses, to "make it back to who I was before with this old guitar across my back."


In many ways, "Lonely Road" is a classic country song, full of heartache and longing, with a mournful melody and lyrics that speak directly to the human condition. But it is also a song about the power of music and its ability to heal the wounds that life inflicts upon us.


Line by Line Meaning

Walking down this lonely road, with a guitar in my hand
I am traveling alone with my guitar, lost in my thoughts and emotions.


I've walked away with all I own, just to try to clear my head
I left everything behind in an attempt to free myself from the pressures of life.


This life I live is killing me between, this woman and this band
The constant tug-of-war between my love for music and my love for my partner is draining my energy.


One or the others gotta go, Ive gotta move on if i can
I need to let go of one of my passions in order to move forward with my life.


Well I know I've gotta leave, but I dont know where to start
I know I need to say goodbye, but I am uncertain about how to begin.


All those years of loving you, has left me with a broken heart
The years of loving you have taken a toll on my heart and left it shattered.


But I'll find away to make it back to who I was before with this old guitar across my back
I will find a way to return to my former self, with my guitar as my companion.


Well I'll open up that door
I am determined to move on and start a new chapter in my life.


You wont even care, but on the day I walk away
Although you may not feel anything, the day I leave will be significant to me.


The word i want to hear but ill never hear you say
The word I long to hear from you is one that I will never get to hear.




Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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