GULF COAST HIGHWAY^©

Nanci Griffith's original version

Gulf coast highway, he worked the rails
He worked the rice fields with their cold dark wells
He worked the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico
The only thing we've owned is this old house here by the road

And when he dies he says he'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away to heaven, come some sweet blue bonnet spring

She walked through springtime when I was home
The days were sweet, our nights were warm
The seasons changed, the jobs would come
The flowers fade, and this old house felt so alone
When the work took me away

And when she dies she says she'll catch some blackbird's wing
And she will fly away to heaven, come some sweet blue bonnet spring

Highway 90, the jobs are gone
We kept our garden, we set the sun
This is the only place on Earth blue bonnets grow
And once a year they come and go
At this old house here by the road

And when we die we say we'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away to heaven, come some sweet blue bonnet spring

Yes when we die we say we'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away together, come some sweet blue bonnet spring

Page last updated: 18 Aug 2007

GULF COAST HIGHWAY was written by James Hooker, Nanci Griffith, and Danny Flowers. Nanci Griffith recorded it as a duet with Mac McAnally, and released it on her 1988 album Little Love Affairs.

In concerts, during the intro to the song, Nanci Griffith references the singers who have "recorded" the song as a duet. The list included some official releases (Dave Mathews and Emmy Lou Harris), but she also mentioned Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa. Check out Bruce Springsteen's 1988 sound-check version for more details.