East Bound And Down )
Jerry Reed Lyrics


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East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Oh, we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' Bandit run

Keep your foot hard on the pedal, son never mind them brakes
Let it all hang out, 'cause we got a run to make
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there's beer in Texarkana
And we'll bring it back no matter what it takes

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Oh, we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' Bandit run

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Oh, we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' Bandit run

Old Smokey's got them ears on, he's hot on your trail
And he ain't gonna rest 'til you're in jail
So you gotta dodge him, you've gotta duck him
You gotta keep that diesel truckin'
Just put that hammer down and give it hell

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Oh, we gonna do what they say can't be done




We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' Bandit run

Overall Meaning

Jerry Reed's song "East Bound and Down" is a road anthem that captures the essence of the American trucking culture. The song is an ode to the trucker lifestyle, with lyrics that describe a cross-country race to deliver a shipment of beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. The singer, referred to as "Bandit," is a truck driver who is tasked with carrying a large shipment of Coors beer from Texas to Georgia within a very short time. The song is deeply rooted in the genre of outlaw country and celebrates the freedom, individualism, and adventurous spirit of the trucking world.


The lyrics of the song are an invitation to live life to its fullest, to take risks, and to challenge the status quo. The chorus of the song, "East bound and down, loaded up and truckin', we gonna do what they say can't be done," encapsulates this spirit perfectly. The lyrics urge the listener to keep pushing themselves to greatness despite what the naysayers may say.


Line by Line Meaning

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
We are heading east on the highway with a truck full of cargo.


Oh, we gonna do what they say can't be done
We will accomplish what others thought was impossible.


We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there
The distance we need to cover is great, and we have limited time.


I'm east bound, just watch ol' Bandit run
I am driving the truck, and I intend to drive fast.


Keep your foot hard on the pedal, son never mind them brakes
Press the accelerator as hard as you can and don't use the brakes, regardless of the obstacles.


Let it all hang out, 'cause we got a run to make
Do whatever it takes to get to our destination quickly.


The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there's beer in Texarkana
Our friends in Atlanta are thirsty, and there's beer waiting for us in Texarkana.


And we'll bring it back no matter what it takes
We will go the distance to get the beer and bring it back to our friends, no matter what.


Old Smokey's got them ears on, he's hot on your trail
The police are following us closely, and they are not giving up.


And he ain't gonna rest 'til you're in jail
The police will not give up until they catch us and we are in jail.


So you gotta dodge him, you've gotta duck him
We have to avoid the police and be careful not to get caught by them.


You gotta keep that diesel truckin'
We have to continue driving the truck as fast as we can, and we cannot stop.


Just put that hammer down and give it hell
Keep pressing the accelerator pedal as hard as possible to make the truck run fast.


East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
We are still heading east on the highway with a truck full of cargo.


Oh, we gonna do what they say can't be done
We still believe that we will accomplish what others thought was impossible.


We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there
We are aware that we have a long distance to travel in a short amount of time.


I'm east bound, just watch ol' Bandit run
The driver is reiterating that he is the one driving the truck, and he intends to do so fast.




Lyrics © HORI PRO ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dick Feller, Jerry Hubbard Reed

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

@bradford_shaun_murray

For those wanting the Bass Line - worked it out myself mainly on low E & A strings- using 0.75 speed as that banjo drives this song psycho fast at normal speed:

Intro E(on A@7th) ED C(on E@8th) CBA AA# D(A@5th) A(E@5th) D(A@5th)

walking line open low E to F# G(3rd) G (east bound...) E G(3rd) E A(5th) E A E F(1st) CC(what they say can't be done) DDD
walking bass line again EF# G G E G E A E A E F D(watch that bandit run)G

EEE ed (d string @2nd fret ie E, and pull off to open D, then to the C on the a string) CCC CB AABB EEEE(E back to open low E string)

Guitar solo bass backing:
|: E F# G G E G E A E A E F F F F D / D G / EEE ed (d string @2nd fret ie E, and pull off to open D, then to the C on the a string) CCC CB AABB EEEE(E back to open low E string) :|

walking line open low E to F# G(3rd) G (east bound...) etc



@vlad.oliveira

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
A-we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run

Keep your foot hard on the pedal
Son, never mind them brakes
Let it all hang out 'cause we got a run to make
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta
And there's beer in Texarkana
And we'll bring it back no matter what it takes

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
A-we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
A-we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run

Ol' Smokey's got them ears on
He's hot on your trail
And he aint gonna rest 'til you're in jail
So you got to dodge 'im and you got to duck 'im
You got to keep that diesel truckin'
Just put that hammer down and give it hell

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'
A-we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run



All comments from YouTube:

@kemsturm606

My big brother was a trucker for over 40 years. Tried to retire but that only lasted 5 months. We laid him to rest February 13th. I will miss him telling me stories of the road. Everytime I see a trucker I think of him. Miss you

@Salom2015

I know your pain, man

@kemsturm606

@@Salom2015 I’m his baby sister. Thanks for replying. I miss my big brother. When we were bringing him home in the hearse, my husband and some local truckers lined up and blew their horns. He always wanted everyone to know that he was in the neighborhood. They made a ton of noise. And he road motorcycles so some friends were the escort. I always thought my brother would slide off a mountain in Utah or have a heart attack and be found in a truck stop but never in my wildest dreams come home while burglars were in his house and get shot with his own gun. But I know he is on the other side doing well cause he is with my other brother and parents. Thank you for replying and always speak out to everyone that touches your heart.

@_construction_2023

​@@kemsturm606
We will watch smokey and the bandit in his honor

@kemsturm606

@@_construction_2023 Thank you so much. I know he would like that.

@michaeldillon9416

Sorry for your loss my dad was a trucker for as long as I could remember he used to take me with him when I was younger

2 More Replies...

@MatthewChenault

The music you listen to when you’re going 90 in a 40.

@dominicmelendez1069

Smokey bear gonna git ya

@elijahdavis2288

Or gut-reving a Chrystler Pacifica at 105 on the interstate to beat the hurricane.

@gamingwitheternal4776

🤣🤣🤣

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