Late Night OTB – Bob Seger
Probably the definitive song about life on the road: “Turn the Page.”
On a long and lonesome highway, east of omaha.
You can listen to the engine moaning out its one lone song
You can think about woman, or the girl you knew the night before,
But your thoughts will soon be wandering, the way they always do.
When your riding sixteen hours and theres nothing much to do
And you dont feel much like riding, you just wish the trip was through.
Say, here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.
Here I go, playing star again.
There I go, turn the page.
Well you walk into a restaurant, strung out from the road,
You can feel the eyes upon you as your shaking off the cold
You pretend it doesnt bother you, but you just want to explode.
Most times you cant hear em talk, other times you can.
Oh the same old cliche, as that woman on her a man
You always see my number, you dont dare make a stand.
Here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.
Here I go, playing star again.
There I go, turn the page.
Out there in the spotlight your a million miles away,
Every ounce of energy, you try and give away,
As the sweat pours out your body like the music that you play.
Later in the evening as you lie awake in bed,
With the echo from the amplifiers ringing in your head,
You smoke the days last cigarette, remembering what she said.
Now here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.
Here I go, playing star again.
There I go, turn the page.
Here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.
Ah here I go, playing star again.
There I go, there I go.
via LyricsFreak
Well, if you’re a rocker. I don’t think long-haul truck drivers have similar experiences.
I don’t know why this interview sticks out my memory, but I remember reading an interview of him talking about this particular recording, and this particular concert. And I remember him saying that he couldn’t remember a time when his monitors had never sounded so clear. I don’t have it, and I don’t recall where I saw it. Maybe a greatest hits collection cover.
Anwyay… From personal experience, I can tell you that knowing what you sound like to an audience, it is an important factor, and there is a confidence that comes from that. And recall thinking when I read the interview that factor probably added to his performance, and made the recording. As backing for that idea, I will mention the fact that nobody ever plays the studio version of this tune.
Hmm.
Funny, the little things that your association all memory will come up with when prodded.
“you just wish the trip was through.”
so deep in my heart
I’ve never thought of that, but you’re correct – the point driven home by the fact that the linked YouTube studio version sounded so… different.