Freedom of the Road
Martin Sexton & Ned Claflin

Martin Sexton
Black Sheep
1996

Marty seems to have this recurring obsession with
freedom, and this song is a continuing extension of
that infatuation.  However, this view of freedom
differs slightly from previous ones.  He opened with
this song up in Syracuse when I saw him.  Great tune.

Lyrics
Chords

Tune Down 1/2 Step: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb

Here is the verse:

        In a westerly direction this car is my train          I'm drivin' and I'm
    B7        E                             A       Asus4   A
              +     +         +     +       +     +         +     +
e:----------|-------x-0-2-|-2/4-----x-----|-0-------0---0-|-0-----x-----|
B:-^0-------|-------x-----|-0-------x-----|-2-------2h3-3-|-2-----x-----|
G:-^2-------|-------x-----|---------x-----|-2-------2---2-|-2-----x-----|
D:-^1-------|-2-----------|---------------|-2-------2---2-|-2-----------|
A:-^2-------|-2-----------|-----------7\\-|-0-------0---0-|-0-----------|
E:----------|-0-----------|---------------|---------------|-------------|


 a-wonderin'    what it is I'm runnin' from again
   E       Esus4               B
   +     +       +     +       +     +      +     +
e:-------x-----|-------x-----|-------x----|-------x-----|
B:-------x-----|-------x-----|-------x----|-------x-----|
G:-------x-2---|-1-----x-----|-4-----x----|-4-----x-----|
D:-2-------2---|-2-----------|-4----------|-4-----------|
A:-2-------2---|-2-----------|-2----------|-2-----------|
E:-0-------0---|-0-----------|------------|-------------|


...80-year-old man          ...29
   E             E7            A     Asus4     A
   +     +       +     +       +     +         +     +
e:-------x-----|-0-----x-----|-0-----0---0---|-0-----x-----|
B:-------x-----|-0-----x-----|-2-----2h3-3-3-|-2-----x-----|
G:-1-----x-----|-1-----x-----|-2-----2---2-2-|-2-----x-----|
D:-2-----------|-0-----------|-2-----2-----2-|-2-----------|
A:-2-----------|-2-----------|-0-----0-----0-|-0-----------|
E:-0-----------|-0-----------|---------------|-------------|


...ahead on the horizon is the California line
   B                          E             E7
   +     +      +     +       +     +       +     +
e:-------x----|-------x-----|---------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
B:-------x----|-------x-----|-------0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
G:-4-----x----|-4-----x-----|-----1-1-1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
D:-4----------|-4-----------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A:-2----------|-2-----------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
E:------------|-------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|

The ending looks like this:

   home
   E               B7             E
   +     +         +     +        +
e:---------------|-------------|-^0--------2/4---------12-------|
B:---------------|-------------|-^0------0----------/9----------|
G:-1-------------|-2-----------|-^1-----------------------------|
D:-2-----------x-|-1-----------|-^2-----------------------------|
A:-2---------2-x-|-2---------2-|-^2-----------------------------|
E:-0-----2/4-----|-------------|-^0-----------------------------|

LYRICS:

In a westerly direction this car is my train
I'm driving and I'm a-wondering what it is I'm runnin' from again
And I feel like an 80-year-old man but I'm holdin' on to 29
And up ahead on that horizon is the California line

CHORUS
              A    Asus4 A                       E    Esus4 E
Now I've had enough       of this freedom of the road
                          B                               E     B7
Never was good with decisions least that's what I've been told

E	B7


Up ahead a truck's carryin' a wide load a pre-fab house cut in half
Cute little front door and two windows Lord I'm not sure whether to cry or should I laugh
You see I broke a home up myself once when I stumbled to that door
I read that note by the dawn's light said "don't you come 'round here any more"

CHORUS
              A    Asus4 A                       E    Esus4 E
Now I've had enough       of this freedom of the road
                          B                               E     E7
Never was good with decisions least that's what I've been told
                         A          Asus4 A                         E    Esus4 E
I been holdin' onto this ticket Lord       cause one day I pay this toll
                      B                                   A
Magic road grant your freedom to someone else for I'll be comin' home

E/G#  E/F#  E      E7

BRIDGE
               A                                       E
Yeah and I know there'll be no more pay-per-view movies in these economy motels
A                               E
   No more trash in my back seat from Mickey-D's or Taco Bell
A                                A#º7
   No more playin' my trump-cards    for the ladies in the lounge
E                                               E7                A
   I think I'll leave a little somethin' for the travelin' man to scrounge

                    E       B7      C#
And I mean it yes I mean it oh yeah
F#		B7
        Mmmmmm


And I know there's got to be someone out there who thinks I still have my home
I got his picture right here in my back pocket y'all along with some rocks
    I found in Arizona I wanna show him
And I know I'll return to that awkward silence and so much work I've never known 
But I know this man must make amends cause I know my travelin' days are
    done and I know it all too well

CHORUS
Cause I've had enough y'all of this freedom of the road
Lord won't you help me with my decision before I grow old
I'm holdin' onto this ticket Lord because today I pay this toll
                      B                  A
Magic road grant your freedom your sweet freedom cause I
I'm comin' home

play ending


CHORDS:

E7	020100
Esus4	022200
Asus4	x02230
B7	x21202
A#º7	x1202x
E/G#	4224xx
E/F#	2224xx


To learn why these chords are named this way, check out Dansm's Guitar Chord Theory.