Detour
Hank Thompson Lyrics


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Headed down life's crooked road lot of things I never knowed
And because of me not knowing I now pine
Trouble's got in the trail spent the next five years in jail
Should have read that detour sign
Detour there's a muddy road ahead detour paid no mind to what it said
Detour oh these bitter things I find should have read that detour sign
When I got right to the place where it said about face
I thought that all my worries were behind
But the father I go the more sorrow
I know I should have read that detour sign
Detour there's a muddy road





Detour there's a muddy road
Should have read that detour sign

Overall Meaning

The song "Detour" by Hank Thompson tells the story of a man who is traveling down a crooked road in life and ends up in trouble when he ignores a detour sign. Through the lyrics, Thompson expresses regret for not paying attention to the warning sign, which ultimately leads to the character spending five years in jail. The song is about the importance of paying attention to the signs and warnings that life presents us with and the consequences of ignoring them.


The lyrics use vivid imagery to convey the muddy road on which the character travels and the bitter things he finds. There is a sense of loss and regret in the song, as the character realizes that his choices have led him down a path of sorrow. The repetition of the phrase "should have read that detour sign" throughout the song emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the signs and warnings that we encounter in life.


Line by Line Meaning

Headed down life's crooked road lot of things I never knowed
I have been traveling on a difficult path in life and faced many unknowns.


And because of me not knowing I now pine
As a result of my ignorance, I am now filled with regret and sadness.


Trouble's got in the trail spent the next five years in jail
I encountered problems along my path and ended up serving jail time as a consequence.


Should have read that detour sign
I should have taken heed of the warning sign and changed course.


Detour there's a muddy road ahead detour paid no mind to what it said
I ignored the detour sign and continued on the muddy road, despite the warning.


Detour oh these bitter things I find should have read that detour sign
I am now facing unpleasant consequences and regretting my decision to ignore the detour sign.


When I got right to the place where it said about face
When I reached the point where the warning sign indicated a turnaround was necessary...


I thought that all my worries were behind
I naively assumed that all my troubles were over.


But the father I go the more sorrow
However, the more I continued down my chosen path, the worse off I became.


I know I should have read that detour sign
I realize now that I made a mistake by not paying attention to the warning sign.


Detour there's a muddy road
The detour leads me down a muddy road.


Should have read that detour sign
Once again, I recognize that I should have read and followed the detour sign.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL WESTMORELAND

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@melin520

Headed down life's crooked road
lots of things I never know
And because of me not knowing I'm now pine

Trouble's got in the trail
Spent the next five years in jail
Should have read that detour sign

Detour, there's a muddy road ahead
Detour, paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign

When I got right to the place where it said about face
I thought that all my worries were behind
But the father I go the more sorrow I know
Should have read that detour sign

Detour, there's a muddy road ahead
Detour, paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign
***************
When I got stuck in the mud
All my hopes struck with the third
And I reckon my heart string made the crying

I got nowhere power again from the hope that I made yet
Should have read that detour sign

Detour, there's a muddy road ahead
Detour, paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign
Should have read that detour sign.



All comments from YouTube:

@issuesandtissues9280

My grandma used to sing this when she got drunk and from what I've heard she sang it allot lovelovelove

@jennifursun3303

my late daddy used to sing this around the house when i was growing up, brings back lost of happy memories.

@TheSaxman1955

Written by my dad, "Okie" Paul Westmoreland. Love you dad. RIP.

@earlhaywood4372

Paul D. Westmoreland God bless you, for having such a Dad with such a forewarning vision.

@TheSaxman1955

@@earlhaywood4372 Thank you Earl.

@itsokay8885

Hi Uncle David, Todd Westmoreland here.

@jimderra

Paul was with my aunt Joyce for years

@rshuler6967

Loved this all my life! God bless!

3 More Replies...

@janettgrady2394

I sure as hell miss songs like this, and I certainly miss hopping bars where Hank was on the jukebox, which made things fun....guys flirting, dancing, forever feeling me up and trying to bullshit me into the sack. Hank's songs on Youtube sure as hell bring back some great memories...memories of me coming of age. I miss all that.

@michaelchance5863

In the 50's our car had no radio and my mother would sing this as she drove us to my grandmothers for the summer!!

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