I was sittin’ in a truckstop
Watchin’ tumbleweeds roll by
Tryin’ to read the menu
When the waitress caught my eye
She pulled a pencil from her hair
And leaned across the bar
I did my best not to stare
But man, she made it hard
I asked that trucker next to me
Hey, what looks good today
He said I know what’s on your mind
And boy, there ain’t no way
Get yourself some apple pie
And something cool to drink
I know you want the special
And I like the way you think
But you can’t have the waitress
Boy, everybody’s tried
There’s a cowboy down in Abilene
Who keeps her satisfied
They got a hundred acre dream
That’s gettin’ closer every day
Just a few more plates of ham and eggs
And a few good rides away
Hard times hit West Texas
Damn near everything’s for sale
But there’s somethings we hold sacred
When everything else fails
When we’re down to nothing
Out here, everybody shares
Most of us have lost our dreams
So we bought into theirs
I’ve seen her walk a hundred miles
Up and down this floor
I’ve never seen her fail to smile
When he limps through that door
So when you’re done, you leave a tip
And make it nice and fat
And feel lucky you can own a piece
Of something like that
But you can’t have the waitress
Boy, everybody’s tried
There’s a cowboy down in Abilene
Who keeps her satisfied
They got a hundred acre dream
That’s gettin’ closer every day
Just a few more plates of ham and eggs
And a few good rides away
But you can’t have the waitress
Boy, everybody’s tried
There’s a cowboy down in Abilene
Who keeps her satisfied
They got a hundred acre dream
That’s gettin’ closer every day
Just a few more plates of ham and eggs
And a few good rides away
Just a few more plates of ham and eggs
And a few good rides away
Finding Love and Hope in the Heart of West Texas
“Few Good Rides Away” by Brooks & Dunn paints a vivid portrait of life in a dusty truck stop, where dreams are as persistent as tumbleweeds. The song’s narrator is captivated by a hardworking waitress whose charm is rivaled only by her loyalty to a cowboy in Abilene. Through the banter of truckers and the day-to-day grind, the lyrics explore themes of longing, admiration, and the resilience of small-town dreams. The recurring mention of “a few more plates of ham and eggs” serves as a metaphor for perseverance and the slow march toward a shared future. Despite life’s hardships, the community finds hope in supporting the waitress and her cowboy, holding onto the belief that their “hundred acre dream” is just within reach.
Song Credits
- Artist: Brooks & Dunn
- Release Year: 1996
- Label: Arista Nashville