He saw the rain fall quiet through blue eyes and tears And wandered through the heartache, dying embers over years He held the road like gospel, bands of gypsies as his kin A gentle kind of outlaw, who let the light come in I wish I was like Willie, my heart worn and wide A truth in that silence, and sorrow my sweet guide To love without condition, let whiskey rivers ride A poet moving down the highway, with nothing left to hide He sang of southern sweetness, and moonlight through the pines Of lovers who were faithful, peaceful dreams of better times He poured his soul in silence, no need to ask him why Just let the bottle whisper, and let the truth reply I wish I was like Willie, my heart worn and wide A truth in that silence, and sorrow my sweet guide To love without condition, let whiskey rivers ride A poet moving down the highway, with nothing left to hide He rescued fallen angels, fixing broken wings Through teardrops and laughter, how good hearts can sting He sang of faded Levi’s and cowboy’s so alone A valley of the gun, with dying lovers going home I wish I was like Willie, my heart worn and wide A truth in that silence, and sorrow my sweet guide To love without condition, let whiskey rivers ride A poet moving down the highway, with nothing left to hide When night became a burden, a single ribbon held its weight With winds of change blowing, he let doors become a gate He reached for something human, among those slow-movin dreams He taught us how to flow with the current down our streams I wish I was like Willie, my heart worn and wide A truth in that silence, and sorrow my sweet guide To love without condition, let whiskey rivers ride A poet moving down the highway, with nothing left to hide I wish I was like Willie, my heart worn and wide A truth in that silence, and sorrow my sweet guide To love without condition, let whiskey rivers ride A poet moving down the highway, with nothing left to hide
