Shortly after high school, in 1970, with fellow Lubbock musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, he formed The Flatlanders. According to Ely, "Jimmie was like a well of country music. He knew everything about it. And Butch was from the folk world. I was kinda the rock & roll guy, and we almost had a triad. We hit it off and started playing a lot together. That opened up a whole new world I had never known existed." In 1972, the band released their first and— until 2002's Now Again— only album, but have appeared together on each other's albums. Since the band's initial break-up just after their album was cut, the three musicians have followed individual paths.
Ely's own first album, self titled, was released in 1977. The following year, his band played London where he met punk rock group The Clash. Impressed with each other's performances, the two bands would later tour together, including appearances in Ely's hometown of Lubbock, as well as Laredo and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas.
Since then, a steady stream of albums have followed, most on the MCA label. Ely's live performances have become legendary, and he has released a live album roughly every ten years (the last was Live at Antone's in 2000). He has had a genre-crossing career, performing with Bruce Springsteen, Los Super Seven, David Grissom, and James McMurtry in addition to his early work with The Clash and more recent acoustic tours with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Guy Clark.
In the late 1990s, Ely was asked to write songs for Robert Redford's movie The Horse Whisperer, which led to reforming The Flatlanders with Gilmore and Hancock for an appearance on the movie soundtrack. A new album from the trio followed in 2002, with a third in 2004.
In February 2007, Ely released "Happy Songs From Rattlesnake Gulch" on his own label, Rack 'Em Records. A book of Ely's writings was published in early 2007 by the University of Texas Press. Ely also released a second album of old lyrics that he has finally recorded.
Several other reissues of Ely's previous work were due out later in 2007 on Rack 'Em.
Working On the Highway
Joe Ely Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talking 'bout the weekend, scrubbing off the dirt
Some heading home to their families, some looking to get hurt
Some going down to Stovell wearing trouble on their shirts
I work for the county out on 95
All day long I hold a red flag and watch the traffic pass me by
In my head I keep a picture of a pretty little miss
Working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway, all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
I met her at a dance down at the union hall
She was standing with her brothers, back up against the wall
Sometimes we'd go walking down the union tracks
One day I looked straight at her and she looked straight back
Working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway, all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
I saved up my money and I put it all away
I went to see her daddy but we didn't have much to say
"Son, can't you see she's just a little girl?
She don't know nothing about this cruel, cruel world"
We lit out down to Florida, we got along alright
One day her brothers came and got her and they took me in a black and white
The prosecutor kept the promise that he made on that day
And the judge got mad and he put me straight away
I wake up every morning to the work bell clang
Me and the warden go swinging on the Charlotte County road gang
Working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway, all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
Working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway, all day long I can't stop
Working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
Joe Ely's song, "Working On the Highway," is about the life of a blue-collar worker. The song tells the story of a man who works all day holding a red flag, directing traffic. The singer of the song keeps a picture of a "pretty little miss" in his head, hoping for a better life than the one he leads. He meets a girl at a dance down at the union hall, but her brothers do not approve, and they take her away. The singer and the girl flee to Florida and live together, but eventually, her brothers catch up, and they get him arrested. The song ends with the singer working on a chain gang, laying down the blacktop and blasting through the bedrock while constantly working on the highway.
The song captures the daily struggle of working-class men and women and the monotony of their lives. The singer longs for a better life and tries to escape his mundane routine with the hope of a brighter future. The song also touches on social issues like poverty, migration, and the criminal justice system, as the singer is falsely accused and incarcerated.
Line by Line Meaning
Friday night's pay night, guys fresh out of work
Talking about how the week is over and it's time for the weekend to start. Men just finished a week of labor and are ready for a break.
Talking 'bout the weekend, scrubbing off the dirt
Discussing their plans for the weekend, while trying to clean the grime and mess of the working week off their bodies.
Some heading home to their families, some looking to get hurt
Some people are going to reunite with their loved ones, while others are seeking trouble or getting themselves into dangerous situations.
Some going down to Stovell wearing trouble on their shirts
Certain people are headed to Stovell, indicating that this town is known for attracting troublemakers who are looking for conflict and are not afraid to display it.
I work for the county out on 95
The artist is an employee of the county, working on a specific segment of road: highway 95.
All day long I hold a red flag and watch the traffic pass me by
The singer's job is to manage the flow of traffic, carrying a red flag as a signal while observing vehicles drive by for the entire day.
In my head I keep a picture of a pretty little miss
The singer is longing for a special lady and is keeping her image close, perhaps to guide his actions toward a better future.
Someday, mister, gonna lead a better life than this
The artist is determined to move on from his current work situation, perhaps resulting in a better life for himself and for his lady.
I met her at a dance down at the union hall
This line references the union hall, where the artist first encountered his special lady.
She was standing with her brothers, back up against the wall
When the artist first saw her, she appeared to be standing with her siblings hidden at the back of the gathering making her a bit inaccessible.
Sometimes we'd go walking down the union tracks
The singer and his lady found simple pleasure in their time together, taking long walks beside the railroad tracks behind the union hall.
One day I looked straight at her and she looked straight back
It was a moment of mutual recognition and realization of their feelings: the lady felt the same way the artist did.
I saved up my money and I put it all away
The singer worked hard and saved every penny he could in preparation for the day he would request permission to marry his beloved.
I went to see her daddy but we didn't have much to say
Despite his best efforts, the singer realized that the lady's father did not approve of him, making it difficult for him to establish a formal relationship with her.
"Son, can't you see she's just a little girl?
The lady's father dismisses the singer's advances, stating that his daughter is still a child and unable to make her own decisions.
She don't know nothing about this cruel, cruel world"
The lady's father believes that the artist does not understand the harsh realities of life and cannot offer a stable future for his daughter.
We lit out down to Florida, we got along alright
Despite the father's disapproval, the artist and his lady went to Florida to start a new life together, and they were happy.
One day her brothers came and got her and they took me in a black and white
Unfortunately, their time together was short-lived as the lady's brothers, possibly police authorities, arrested the singer.
The prosecutor kept the promise that he made on that day
The prosecutor followed through on a promise he made to the singer.
And the judge got mad and he put me straight away
The artist was imprisoned for his actions, and the judge made sure that he was indeed punished to the fullest extent of the law.
I wake up every morning to the work bell clang
The artist is now serving time in prison, waking up to the sound of a bell that signals the start of the workday.
Me and the warden go swinging on the Charlotte County road gang
The artist is now working for the local prison, alongside the warden, breaking bedrock on the Charlotte County road gang to build highways.
Working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
The singer is now constructing roads and highways, using his skills and knowledge to make a positive contribution to society.
Working on the highway, all day long I don't stop
The artist is dedicated to his work, striving to make a difference and embrace his opportunity and struggles every day.
Working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
The singer is using heavy-duty machinery to break rock and prepare the roadbed for laying down blacktop.
Working on the highway, working on the highway
The singer is working tirelessly to ensure that the roads we are driving on are safe and take us to our desired destinations.
Contributed by Zoe H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.