From the recording Alert the Band... Here Comes Dali Pigeon
This is a true story about growing up poor in rural NH and two best friends who wanted to escape to a different life. Although apprehended on the run in Kansas short of their California goal, those crazy brave girls ultimately turned out okay. Dedicated to the real Sandy who made it to California.
Lyrics
50 MILES SOUTH OF TOPEKA
Verse 1
The license plate
In our home state
Says live free or die
Where we come from
Friends die young
Cars, drugs, or suicide
In ‘73, Sandy and me
We weren’t free
But we were still alive
Verse 2
A white trash girl
Holds a map of the world
And all sign point downhill
Three kids by 25
Livin’ in a double wide
Workin’ third shift at the mill
Sandy and me
Plan to break free
We pinky swear we will
Chorus
Two girls on the road
Sixteen years old
Best friends on the run
To the California sun
We’ll waitress by the sea
Go to college for free
And finally have us some fun
Verse 3
Hitched a ride in a truck
Drinking Cold Duck
Thinking our future was bright
Eight states behind us
Seemed no one could find us
Crossed the Gateway in a semi at night
But our future looked bleaker
50 miles south of Topeka
When we saw that flashing blue light
Verse 4
Cops said it was best
We were under arrest
Our future became past tense
They showed us pictures
Of girls in ditches
Locked us up for our offense
Decided to send us
Back home on a bus
At Salvation Army’s expense
Chorus
Verse 5
We tried to pretend
And told our friends
We just took a little vacation
The guy in the book store
Said the journey matters more
Than reaching your destination
But Sandy and me knew
That aint true
On the highway of desolation
Chorus