Road Song
Fernando Ortega Lyrics


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How I love these roads
Every far and lonely highway,
Through basin and range
And a desert that never ends-
A sky so wide
You can feel your heart turn quiet,
And then I listen
For the voices of my friends

One rides in the summer wind beside me,
One flies with the stars
That set the wild night on fire,
One runs close and steady as a river,
I could drive for miles
Carried by that choir.

From the hills of my hometown,
To the Arizona canyons,
From Chinle to Sky City
To the gorge of the Rio Grande-
The high and winding way
From Chimayo to Las Trampas,
The long road bends
To the sweet sound of my friends.

One's up where the clouds brush the mountains,
One rushes down a stream
Past the bright columbine -
I could drive for miles
Just thinking about them,
How I love the road
And these true friends of mine.

One rides in the summer wind beside me,
One flies with the stars
That set the wild night on fire,
One runs close and steady as a river




I could drive for miles
Carried by that choir.

Overall Meaning

The song "Road Song" by Fernando Ortega is a beautiful tribute to the friendships we make in our lives and the memories we create while traveling. The lyrics describe the joy of driving on long and lonely highways, through deserts and basins, and feeling the depth of quietness in one's heart as they listen to the voices of their friends. The song is a heartfelt celebration of the connections made through shared experiences and the ways in which those relationships sustain us long after we return home.


Ortega's lyrics transport the listener from the hills of his hometown to the Arizona canyons, from Chinle to Sky City, to the Rio Grande Gorge. The winding road from Chimayo to Las Trampas evokes a sense of nostalgia for those times we've spent outdoors, taking in the natural beauty of our surroundings. The song culminates in a chorus that celebrates the diversity and strength of the friendships we've forged; one friend rides beside us in the summer wind, another flies with the stars, and yet another runs close and steady as a river. These friends comprise a "choir" that carries us through the ups and downs of life's journey.


In sum, "Road Song" is an ode to the significance of friendship and finding joy in the journey through life. The lyrics highlight how driving on quiet roads can bring a sense of solace amidst the chaos of everyday life, and they describe the significance of the people who join us on that journey.


Line by Line Meaning

How I love these roads
Expressing deep admiration for the roads


Every far and lonely highway,
Talking about how beautiful but also how isolated the highways are


Through basin and range
Describing how the highways go through and across various landscapes


And a desert that never ends-
Talking about how the desert seems to go on forever


A sky so wide
Commenting how vast the sky can be


You can feel your heart turn quiet,
The peace and serenity can be overwhelming


And then I listen
Describing how peaceful the roads can be


For the voices of my friends
Looking for the presence of friends who are not physically there


One rides in the summer wind beside me,
One friend is represented by the Summer wind driving with him


One flies with the stars
One friend is represented by the stars flying by


That set the wild night on fire,
Describing how beautiful the stars are at night


One runs close and steady as a river,
One friend is represented by the river's steadiness


I could drive for miles
Talking about how long and never-ending the roads are


Carried by that choir.
Being carried by their friends' presence and beauty


From the hills of my hometown,
Describing where they are coming from


To the Arizona canyons,
Describing their journey through Arizona


From Chinle to Sky City
Describing their journey through specific locations in Arizona


To the gorge of the Rio Grande-
Describing their journey by a specific river


The high and winding way
Describing how adventurous the journey is


From Chimayo to Las Trampas,
Describing their journey through specific places


The long road bends
Talking about the road's curves, which represent life's unpredictability


To the sweet sound of my friends.
Emphasizing the importance of friends on the journey


One's up where the clouds brush the mountains,
Describing how one friend is represented by the clouds brushing the mountains


One rushes down a stream
Describing how one friend is represented by the stream rushing by


Past the bright columbine -
Describing how they are passing through the flowers


Just thinking about them,
Reflecting on how the friends have impacted the journey


How I love the road
Affirming the love for the journey


And these true friends of mine.
Emphasizing the importance of true friends on the journey




Writer(s): Fernando Ortega Copyright: Margeedays Music, Dayspring Music LLC

Contributed by Bentley B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Janice Bultman Bogott


on Into Your Presence

Is there anywhere I can get the sheet music for piano for this song? I just love it!!

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