Outrun the Night

Down Rowland Mill Road
Where the streetlights never go
If it had only been one lane
I don't know how we'd ever known
But when the town went to bed
We'd push those RPMs to red
Four headlights at a time
Only straightways ahead

When the cops pulled up and told us
That in 5 we'd best be gone
Don't know why they said a word
We never held any place that long
We'd trade parking lot for gravel road
And all the dirt beside
Turn that city limit sign
Into a midnight starting line
We weren't worth a hometown blue light
Engines straining for 85
We'd get lost in someone else's town
That kept open through the night
In some run-out Oldsmobile
That kept the ceiling in our eyes
From the river to the state sign
Every night all through July

And I
Can't remember why
Cutting on the brights
Made it seem
Like we could outrun the night

There were nights the sunrise told us
It was time to get inside
There were nights we only wanted
To get back to the yellow line
There were nights the gaslight said
We would have to spend the night
With the smoke coming off the blacktop
The rain against the window side

And I
Can't remember why
Cutting on the brights
Made it seem
Like we could outrun the night

Keep your eyes on the road
You don't know where this one goes
We put those miles to rest
10 years ago
But some nights I still look for rocks to throw
Yeah, some nights

Down Rowland Mill Road
Where the streetlights never go
If it had only been one lane
I don't know how we'd ever known
But when the town went to bed
We'd push those RPMs to red
Four headlights at a time
Four headlights at a time
Straightways ahead
Straightways ahead