Raelene Wheeler Lyrics - Big Thinkin' - Dallas Wayne

Raeleen wheeler was the first girl I loved 

Through the last year of high school, we were thicker than blood 

Holed up in Mississippi, and starvin' for fun 

We made love and dreamed up places to run 

I was burnin' that summer with the big dreams I had 

And the songs I'd written, well, the world needed bad 

But a pretty girl needs more comfort and gold 

Than a beat-up black notebook is likely to hold 

Hey, Raelene, it's a wide world between pearl river and the bright L.A. lights 

And if I'd done it all without dreamin' I'd still be in Jackson tonight 

Hollywood hopefuls ain't an endangered breed 

But luck is like lightnin', and it sure struck me 

The hit songs, the women, the standing-room halls 

And twenty years of hard labor, holdin' on to it all 

Louisiana i-20 headed east from Monroe 

A bus bound for Jackson and a homecoming show 

Staring through the dark glass at the flat miles beyond 

Tryin' not to look at a face that is gone 

Hey, Raelene, a wife at 19, but I heard you made out all right 

And every now and again, I wonder are you somewhere in Jackson tonight 

Well, we killed 'em, we crushed 'em, burned the place to the ground 

And in the dressing room quiet, I was still coming down 

When in the doorway appeared an old flame, full-grown 

Looking pretty as ever, and entirely alone 

She said the divorce nearly broke her, she was learning to stand 

And as she talked it came clearer that she wanted a hand 

So I drew her close to me, and I kissed my sweet rae 

And the miles and the memories just melted away 

Then I glanced in the mirror, and in a split second's time 

Just before recognizing that old face as mine 

I saw a strange, sad man in a cheap rhinestone shirt 

And a woman he held onto like his last hope on earth 

He was worn and trod down as the road he'd been on 

And his eyes were half-dead, lookin' too hard, too long 

His life measured in nights that flashed and grew dim 

Leaving no one really happy, least of all him 

Then the loading gate slammed, and I let my arms fall 

We traded numbers, small talk, promised to call 

And as she faded from me, and the night closed around 

I picked up a black notebook and I let it spill down 

Hey, Raelene, it's a long way between the wantin' and the makin' it right 

And if I was the one that you needed I'd never leave Jackson tonight 

(Tag) yeah, if I had it all to do over I'd still be in Jackson tonight