Traveling Alone
Jason Isbell Lyrics

Mountains rough this time of year
The mountains are difficult to pass through due to the harsh weather conditions of the season.

Close the highway down
The highway is shut down for safety concerns because of the rough weather.

They don't warn the town
The town doesn't get prior notice about the highway closure.

And I've been fighting second gear
The artist is struggling to keep the car in control on the rough terrain.

For fifteen miles or so
The struggle with second gear has been going on for around fifteen miles already.

Trying to beat the angry snow
The singer is trying to overcome the challenge of the rough snow-blown weather.

And I know every town worth passing through
The singer has traveled through all the significant towns on this route before.

But what good does knowing do
It doesn't matter how familiar the artist is with the towns if there's no one to share the experience with.

With no one to show it to
The artist laments that they have no one to share their travel experiences with.

And I've grown tired of traveling alone
The artist has become exhausted from traveling by themselves consistently.

Won't you ride with me?
The singer invites someone to accompany them on their journey.

I quit talking to myself
The artist has been speaking to themselves due to the lack of company but has now stopped.

Listening to the radio
The singer has resorted to listening to the radio to avoid silence during their journey.

Long, long time ago
The singer has been on this journey for so long that it seems like a distant memory.

Damn near strangled by my appetite
The singer was nearly choked by their hunger last time they were in Ybor City.

Ybor City on a Friday night
The artist refers to their previous experience in Ybor City when they faced difficulty due to their hunger.

Couldn't even stand up right
The artist was weak due to their hunger and was struggling to stay upright in Ybor City.

So high the street girls wouldn't take my pay
The singer was in such a state of hunger that even the street girls saw their state and refused payment.

They said come see me on a better day
The street girls were empathetic to the singer's state and recommended they come back when they are in a better condition.

She just danced away
The street girl danced away after advising the artist to come back in a better condition.

Painting the outside lane
The artist is driving in the outermost lane of the highway.

Heart like a rebuilt part
The artist's heart is compared to a rebuilt machine part, possibly suggesting that the artist's emotions are mended.

I don't know how much it's got left
The singer is unsure how much longer their heart can take the beating of the repetitive loneliness they feel.

Won't you ride?
The artist implores someone to accompany them on their journey.