36. Highway to Redemption

(Intro Instrumental: 70s rock guitar riff, heavy drums, bassline. Think Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Bad Company) (Verse 1) ’68, the jungle's grip, a nightmare etched in time Lost my brothers, lost myself, left sanity behind The booze, a fading friend, a mask for all the pain Then the job, the girl, they're gone, a hurricane of rain Empty bottle, empty heart, a future painted black But the ghost of a chopper engine roars, there's no turning back (Chorus Strong, soaring vocals with powerful backing choir) Highway to redemption, wheels a turnin' free Leavin' all the ghosts behind, just the road and me Searchin' for a sunrise, a sliver of the light Breakin' all the chains, fightin' through the night Highway to redemption, a new life calls to me There's a crack of hope, a chance to finally be FREE! (Verse 2) Leather jacket, worn and tough, a soul both scarred and frayed My Harley rumbles low and deep, a path I've bravely made Montana wind howls a lonely song, a roadside motel room Empty, cold, and desolate, beneath a pale cold moon Then a rumble, a biker gang, eyes that burned with fire They saw the hurt within my soul, and fueled my lost desire (Chorus Strong, soaring vocals with powerful backing choir) Highway to redemption, wheels a turnin' free Leavin' all the ghosts behind, just the road and me Searchin' for a sunrise, a sliver of the light Breakin' all the chains, fightin' through the night Highway to redemption, a new life calls to me There's a crack of hope, a chance to finally be FREE! (Bridge Instrumental break: Guitar solo with heavy distortion and wah pedal. Drums build to a crescendo) (Verse 3) Across the plains, towards the coast, a brotherhood we ride California dreamin', a future side by side The demons whisper in the dark, but I won't let them win For in these hardened faces, a new hope starts within. A place to heal, a place to mend, where love can take its hold This highway's leading me to peace, a story yet untold. (Chorus Strong, soaring vocals with powerful backing choir, even more powerful than before) Highway to redemption, wheels a turnin' free Leavin' all the ghosts behind, just the road and me Searchin' for a sunrise, a sliver of the light Breakin' all the chains, fightin' through the night Highway to redemption, a new life calls to me There's a crack of hope, a chance to finally be FREE! (Outro Instrumental fade out with a final powerful guitar chord and lingering choir harmonies.) (Meta tags: 70s rock, Vietnam War, PTSD, alcoholism, redemption, biker gang, hope, love, freedom, California, motorcycle, highway)