I was thumbing from Montgomery   I had my guitar on my back   When a stranger stopped beside me in an antique Cadillac   He was dress like 1950   Half drunk and hollow eyed   He said its a long walk to Nashville would you like a ride son      Well I sat down in the front seat   He turned on the radio   And them sad old songs coming outta them speakers was solid country gold   Then I noticed the stranger was ghost white pale    When I asked him for a light   And I knew there was something strange about this ride      Chorus   He said drifter can you make folks cry when you play and sing   Have you paid your dues?   Can you moan the blues?   Can you bend them guitar strings?   He said boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside?   Cause if your big star bound let me warn you it's a long hard ride      Well he cried just south of Nashville   And he turned that car around   He said this is where you get off boy   I'm goin' back to Alabam   And as I stepped outta that Cadillac   I said mister many thanks   He said you don't have to call me mister mister   The whole world calls me Hank      Chorus   He said drifter can you make folks cry when you play and sing   Have you paid your dues?   Can you moan the blues?   Can you bend them guitar strings?   He said boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside?   Cause if your big star bound let me warn you it's a long hard ride      He said drifter can you make folks cry when you play and sing   Have you paid your dues?   Can you moan the blues?   Can you bend them guitar strings?   He said boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside?   Cause if your big star bound let me warn you it's a long hard ride      He said drifter can you make folks cry when you play and sing   Have you paid your dues?   Can you moan the blues?   Can you bend them guitar strings?   He said boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside?   Cause if your big star bound let me warn you it's a long hard ride   Cause if your big star bound let me warn you it's a long hard ride