Story Behind The Song

I just found myself thinking about how nearly everyone can remember a place, a location where they went that was special and made them feel peaceful or safe. I wanted to capture that in a story song as well as the idea that justice comes in many forms.

Song Description

Song about a young man (teen), who decides to exact his own justice and in doing so becomes a fugitive. However, he is not trying to get away, but he only wants to avoid capture long enough to reach a particular ridge that represents a place of peace and comfort for him, a place where no matter how bad his life is, he could always feel God's prescense. It has a folk song feel in that it is a story song, but it has also got some hot guitar licks that give it a country rock feel.

Lyrics

CROWLEYS RIDGE
Scott Aycock copyright 2000


As soon as it was dark enough
He drove his daddy's green dodge truck.
He made his way 'cross those bottomlands
Of fresh plowed fields rich with clay and sand.

Heading east 'cross Crittendon county line
Where the Harrisburg hills out of the darkness rise
Like some gateway to another land
Where a boy becomes a man.

CHORUS
Up on Crowley's ridge tonight
Where the air is clear and the stars shine bright.
Up on Crowley's ridge tonight
Everything's gonna be alright.

He left behind a trail of tears
He couldn't leave behind all his fears
He told himself he didn't care
A man's gotta do what a boy wouldn't dare.

He took the rifle and he took some food
He had done what he had to do.
The old man struck him one too many times
The pain must stop that's the bottom line.

CHORUS

He heard his name on the radio
He knew they'd catch him that's for sure
He'd have to make his way around the town
Or for sure they would gun him down.

It wasn't long till they were on his trail
He turned south crossed over the Frisco rail
He knew a shortcut through the woods and hills
He'd reach that ridge through sheer strength of will.

CHORUS




He ditched his car at the old mill road
Sat out on foot through the dark and cold
The dogs were barking as they got his scent
A rifle ed and he knew what that meant.

Still he made his way through those woods
Prayed they wouldn't catch him until he could
Reach that ridge where he always stood
And God's light shines down on the just and good.

CHORUS

They caught him up on Crowley's ridge that night
His face aglow in the pale moonlight
He gave himself over without a fight
Said he knew what he'd done was right.

They locked him up in Lexington
Said he showed no remorse for what he'd done.
The judge gave him fifteen years to learn
On a'count of he was so young.

CHORUS

Sometimes in his cell late at night
And all is quiet and the stars shine bright
You can hear him singing soft and clear
You know he's up on Crowley's Ridge.

CHORUS-
REPEAT CHORUS