Sweet Little '66
Steve Earle & The Dukes Lyrics


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Now I'm a pretty big man around this town
I got me the hottest little Chevy around
My sweet little '66
She got a yellow front fender and a gray one on the back
But my income tax is comin' and I'm gonna paint her black
Sweet little '66

She got the three ninety-six, she got the four on the floor
And those stickers in the window ain't just for show
My sweet little '66

Now old Bubba and me built her back in '79
Then he went into the army so now she's all mine
Sweet little '66
I used to run her down on River Road and make a little dough
Can't afford another ticket so I'm laying kinda low
Me and my '66

Now she ain't too good on gasoline, she burns a little oil
But she was built by union labor on American soil
Sweet little '66
So when your Subaru is over and your Honda's history




I'll be blastin' down some back road with my baby next to me
In my sweet little 66

Overall Meaning

In the song "Sweet Little '66," Steve Earle sings about his prized possession, his 1966 Chevrolet. He boasts about how cool and popular he is for owning such a car in town. The car has a unique feature of a yellow front fender and a gray back one. However, Earle mentions that he plans to paint it black before the income tax comes. He then talks about the car's powerful engine, the three ninety-six, and a four-speed manual transmission with stickers on the front and rear windows. He takes pride in the fact that he and his friend Bubba restored the car back in 1979, and now it's all his. Earle even used to make some money by racing the car on River Road, but he can no longer afford the tickets.


This song is nostalgic, and it reminisces the good old days when life was simpler, and owning a classic car was cool. The song conveys the message that material possessions can bring temporary happiness, and the memories and experiences that come with them are worth cherishing. Although the car is not perfect and might not be fuel-efficient, it represents a sense of American-made pride and craftsmanship.


Line by Line Meaning

Now I'm a pretty big man around this town
I have a good reputation and am well-known in this town.


I got me the hottest little Chevy around
I have the coolest Chevrolet here.


My sweet little '66
My car is a 1966 Chevrolet and I love it.


She got a yellow front fender and a gray one on the back
My car has a yellow front fender and a gray rear one.


But my income tax is comin' and I'm gonna paint her black
I will soon have income tax money so I plan to paint my car black.


Sweet little '66
I love my 1966 Chevrolet.


She got the three ninety-six, she got the four on the floor
My car has a 396 engine and a manual four-speed transmission.


And those stickers in the window ain't just for show
The stickers on the window of my car have meaning and aren't just decorative.


My sweet little '66
My car is my beloved 1966 Chevrolet.


Now old Bubba and me built her back in '79
Me and my friend Bubba constructed the car in 1979.


Then he went into the army so now she's all mine
But Bubba left after enlisting in the army, so now the car is solely mine.


Sweet little '66
Again, talking fondly of my '66 Chevy.


I used to run her down on River Road and make a little dough
I used to race the car on River Road and win some money.


Can't afford another ticket so I'm laying kinda low
I can't afford to get another traffic ticket, so right now I'm not racing or driving fast.


Me and my '66
Referring to my car, my pride and joy.


Now she ain't too good on gasoline, she burns a little oil
My car uses more gasoline than I would like, and it burns a little oil.


But she was built by union labor on American soil
Despite her flaws, my car was built by union workers on American soil, which I take pride in.


Sweet little '66
My '66 Chevy is a sweet car.


So when your Subaru is over and your Honda's history
When your Subaru breaks down and your Honda is no longer running,


I'll be blastin' down some back road with my baby next to me
I'll be flying down a country road with my girlfriend or wife beside me.


In my sweet little 66
Closing the song out by again referencing the car he is so fond of.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVE EARLE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Shirlee Paul


on It's All Up To You

awesome song..

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