Lyrics Readin', rightin', route 23 Dwight Yoakam

Readin', rightin', route 23

Readin, (dwight yoakam)

Chorus:
They learned readin, rightin, route 23
To the jobs that lay waiting in those cities factories
They didnt know that old highway
Could lead them to a world of misery

Have you ever been down kentucky-way
Say south of prestonburg
Have you ever been up in a holler
Have you ever heard
A mountain man cough his life away
From diggin that black coal in those dark mines, those dark mines
If you had you might just understand
The reason that they left is all behind

Chorus:
They learned readin, rightin, route 23
To the jobs that lay waiting in those cities factories
They learned readin, rightin, roads to the north
To the luxury and comfort a coal line cant afford
They thought readin, rightin, route 23
Would take them to the good life that they had never seen
They didnt know that old highway
Could lead them to a world of misery

Have you ever seen em put the kids in the car after work on friday night
Pull up in a holler about 2 a.m. and see a light still shinin bright
Those mountain folks sat up that late
Just to hold those little grandkids in their arms, in their arms
And Im proud to say that Ive been blessed
And touched by their sweet hillbilly charm

Chorus:
They learned readin, rightin, route 23
To the jobs that lay waiting in those cities factories
They learned readin, rightin, roads to the north
To the luxury and comfort a coal line cant afford
They thought readin, rightin, route 23
Would take them to the good life that they had never seen
They didnt know that old highway
Could lead them to a world of misery
Yeah, it turns out that that old highway, leads you to a world of misery