[Verse 1] Dust devils dancin' on the county line Engine coughin' rhythm, a desperate, ragged rhyme Billy in his Chevelle, primer gray and mean Me in my old Ford, the fastest thing you'd seen Headlights cuttin' through the fallin' dark Every mile a prayer, every spark a mark [Verse 2] Heard it down at the diner, whispered low and grim His mama's breathin' shallow, faith wearin' thin Doctor's bills piled higher than the grain in the silo Heard he’s bettin' everything, right down to the last hello Pink slip on the dash, shinin' in the moon He don't know I know, and he's gonna lose real soon [Chorus] Chrome hearts beatin' fast, a race against the night For a mama’s dyin' wish, and a boy’s fading light Tires screamin' freedom, or maybe just goodbye Two friends on a highway, beneath a starless sky Yeah, chrome hearts beatin' fast, a prayer and a lie [Verse 3] My Ford, she's a ’57, rebuilt with my own hand Every bolt and gasket, I know this piece of land Billy’s Chevelle, he got it from his uncle’s shed Worked on it for years, sweat and blood he bled He needs that money more than he needs to breathe And tonight, my friend, I ain't gonna let you grieve [Bridge] Felt the engine stutter, just a little bit of a catch Felt the engine stutter, just a little bit of a catch Like a heart skipping, or a rusty gate latch I eased off the pedal, just a hair, just a touch Watched his tail lights pull away, meanin' oh so much Felt the gravel spittin' as he took the final bend A win for Billy, a wound that won't mend [Chorus] Chrome hearts beatin' fast, a race against the night For a mama’s dyin' wish, and a boy’s fading light Tires screamin' freedom, or maybe just goodbye Two friends on a highway, beneath a starless sky Yeah, chrome hearts beatin' fast, a prayer and a lie
