Highway Halo
Old Crow Lyrics


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Driving rain
Narrow shoulder
Breakdown lane
Marching forward
Going where I do not know
One eye on the open road
Stepping out in the great unknown
With a highway halo

Shaky face
Lily Kimball
Patron saint
Traveling minstrel
Let her dusty wings unfold
Forgive her bad luck soul
Put her in a purple robe
And a highway halo

Passing trains
Sound like silver
Broken chains
Shine like gold
Fortune's just a painted stone
Going where them hobos roam
Crowned king of a jungle throne
With a highway halo

Going where it suits my soul
Can't you hear my big wheels roll
You can light up the darkest road
With a beam of eternal glow
With a highway
With a highway
With a highway halo





Lyrics submitted by Silverbutterfly

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Old Crow Medicine Show's song Highway Halo speak to the serenity and uncertainty that come with traveling on the open road. The first verse describes the harsh conditions of the journey, with driving rain and a narrow breakdown lane. Despite this, the singer is determined to keep moving forward, one eye on the road ahead. They are stepping out into the unknown, but they have a sense of purpose and a "highway halo" guiding them.


The second verse introduces the character of Lily Kimball, a "traveling minstrel" and "patron saint" who represents the freedom and adventure of the open road. She is a wanderer who has faced her fair share of bad luck, but she is resilient and determined to keep moving forward. The singer imagines placing her in a "purple robe" and giving her a "highway halo" as a symbol of her strength and resilience.


The final verse speaks to the beauty and wonder of the journey, with passing trains sounding like silver and broken chains shining like gold. The singer acknowledges that fortune is a fleeting thing, but they are content to keep going where they feel most alive, even if it means living like a hobo. They feel empowered by the road, crowned the "king of a jungle throne" with their own "highway halo."


Line by Line Meaning

Driving rain
The weather is wet and the journey ahead is arduous.


Narrow shoulder
The road is unforgiving and offers no room for error.


Breakdown lane
Even when things seem dire, there's always a chance to continue forward.


Marching forward
Pushing ahead despite obstacles, with determination in each step.


Going where I do not know
The destination is uncertain, but the journey is worth undertaking.


One eye on the open road
Constant vigilance is required to navigate the unpredictable path ahead.


Stepping out in the great unknown
Venturing into the unfamiliar with a sense of adventure.


With a highway halo
A sense of radiance surrounds the journey, as if it's imbued with something transcendent.


Shaky face
A visage that reflects the weariness of the journey thus far.


Lily Kimball
The name of a character who represents both a fellow traveler and a divine figure.


Patron saint
An ethereal being who offers guidance and comfort.


Traveling minstrel
A wandering artist who uses their talents to inspire and uplift others.


Let her dusty wings unfold
Allowing oneself to be open to new ideas and inspiration, even when it's uncomfortable.


Forgive her bad luck soul
Recognizing that life's hardships can take a toll on a person, but showing compassion and understanding nonetheless.


Put her in a purple robe
Symbolically honoring the divine within oneself and others.


And a highway halo
Elevating the journey to something transcendent, even in the midst of hardship.


Passing trains
Life is constantly in motion, with events passing by as if on a train.


Sound like silver
Even everyday occurrences can have a sense of beauty and preciousness when viewed with the right perspective.


Broken chains
Freedom from the things that hold us back can be found in unexpected places.


Shine like gold
What seems insignificant can hold great value, if we're willing to look past surface appearances.


Fortune's just a painted stone
Material possessions are ultimately not what give meaning to life; what's truly valuable is intangible.


Going where them hobos roam
Being willing to embrace a life of uncertainty and impermanence, rather than clinging to false securities.


Crowned king of a jungle throne
Despite a lack of material wealth or social standing, one can still feel powerful and in control of their own destiny.


Going where it suits my soul
Following one's heart, even when it means going against conventional wisdom or societal expectations.


Can't you hear my big wheels roll
The journey is underway, and nothing can stop its momentum.


You can light up the darkest road
By cultivating a sense of hope and peace within oneself, even the most difficult of journeys can seem worthwhile.


With a beam of eternal glow
The radiance of the journey is not bound by time, but can last well beyond the physical experience.


With a highway
The road ahead is open and endless.


With a highway
The endlessness of the journey can be both daunting and exhilarating.


With a highway halo
The divinity of the journey shines through in unexpected ways, offering hope and inspiration along the way.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KETCH SECOR

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

@caiqueramos6935

Driving rain,
Narrow shoulder,
Break down lane,
Marching forward,

Gone where I do not know,
One eye on the open road,
Stepping out in the great unknown,
With a highway halo.

Shaky faith,

?,
Patron saint,
Traveling minstrel,
Let her dusty wings unfold,
Forgive her bad luck soul,
Put her in a purple robe,
And a highway halo.

Passing train,
Sound like silver,
Broken chain,
Shine like gold,
Fortunes just a painted stone,
Gone where those hobos roam,
Crown king of a jungle thrown,
With a highway halo.

Gone where it suits my soul,
Can't you hear my big wheels roll,
You can light up the darkest road,
With a beam of eternal glow,
With a highway halo



All comments from YouTube:

@Desertmusician

This is the perfect song to listen to while on a cruise out on the countryside. So beautiful

@TehSupaBuddehs

I go to their shows man! ITS PACKED and they sound GREAT!

@BillyMays6

can't get this out of my head. Great song!

@caiqueramos6935

Driving rain,
Narrow shoulder,
Break down lane,
Marching forward,

Gone where I do not know,
One eye on the open road,
Stepping out in the great unknown,
With a highway halo.

Shaky faith,

?,
Patron saint,
Traveling minstrel,
Let her dusty wings unfold,
Forgive her bad luck soul,
Put her in a purple robe,
And a highway halo.

Passing train,
Sound like silver,
Broken chain,
Shine like gold,
Fortunes just a painted stone,
Gone where those hobos roam,
Crown king of a jungle thrown,
With a highway halo.

Gone where it suits my soul,
Can't you hear my big wheels roll,
You can light up the darkest road,
With a beam of eternal glow,
With a highway halo

@adamlindsey1118

Lilly kimbol

@katecutrer

Caique Ramos Lilly Kimble

@michaelbruce7639

Old crow medicine show and John haitt and guy Clark are the best bluegrass country music singers of all times

@beholdapalehorse

I like this song a lot it's got a bob dylan feel to it very good

@PoliteCheese1414

freaking awesome song. gotta love OCMC

@pampa696

Long Live, long live The kings!!

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