(Verse 1: The North - North Dakota) I punched the clock in Winnipeg, kissed the snow goodbye, Crossed the line at Pembina, beneath a frozen sky. North Dakota welcomed me with wind that cuts the bone, Just a heater hummin' rhythm in my rolling zone. The plains are white and endless, like a sheet of ice and ghosts, Haulin' steel and timber down from the northern posts. (Verse 2: The Midwest - South Dakota & Nebraska) Saw the Black Hills risin' up, passing Rapid City lights, The Badlands look like alien ground in the middle of the night. Then the cornfields of Nebraska, row by endless row, Wave like golden oceans where the heavy diesels go. The Platte River runnin' shallow, the sun begins to burn, Just me and eighteen wheels, waitin' for the turn. (Chorus) From the Maple Leaf up yonder, down to Mexico, Across the spine of this great land, watch the asphalt flow. From the glaciers to the desert, through the rain and through the sand, I’m haulin' life and liberty across the Promised Land. Yeah, it’s border to border, on the long white line, Just tryin' to make a living, deliverin' on time. (Verse 3: The Plains - Kansas & Oklahoma) Kansas City skyline, fading in the rear, The wheat fields sway in rhythm, the sky is wide and clear. But Oklahoma’s tricky, the wind can shake the frame, Dodged a twister near to Tulsa, playin' nature's game. The coffee at the truck stop tastes like mud and gasoline, But it keeps the eyes wide open on this heavy big machine. (Verse 4: The South - Texas) Then I hit the Texas border, and Lord, it takes all day, From Dallas down to Austin, get outta my way. The air gets thick and humid, the oil rigs pumpin' slow, See the armadillos runnin' in the headlight's glow. The dust begins to settle, the cactus starts to bloom, I can smell the Rio Grande inside my cabin room. (Bridge) It ain't just miles and markers, it ain't just pay and freight, It's the freedom of the open road that makes this country great. From the pine trees to the palm trees, I’ve seen it all go by, Underneath the blanket of that big American sky. (Chorus) From the Maple Leaf up yonder, down to Mexico, Across the spine of this great land, watch the asphalt flow. From the glaciers to the desert, through the rain and through the sand, I’m haulin' life and liberty across the Promised Land. Yeah, it’s border to border, on the long white line, Just tryin' to make a living, deliverin' on time. (Outro) Laredo lights are shinin'. Welcome to the border, boys. Shut 'er down.
