An Ode to an Old Friend (dear, Lou)

4 minutes, 40s bluegrass country, gospel, farewell ballad, 40s country yodelling whiney male vocals

Lyrics

“Oh, Lou, oh Lou,
Good Ol’ Lou.”
He is no longer held down by a mind of old.
The world lost a Lou and,
a Lou gained his heavenly wheels.

“Oh, Lou, oh Lou.”
Dear Ol’ Lou.
Lou is, was, & forever will be a soul of old.
A dying breed.
They don’t make em’ like Lou no more…
Lou is out of the dark,
he’s found the light.

Lou’s a little Hank Sr.,
a little John Wayne,
and a lot of Richard Petty.
He’s a Red Blooded,
“American” Man..!
An Ohio “Original”,
An Ohio “Classic”.

He’s Chevelle cruisin’ to those pearly gates.
A “Hot-Rod Angel” looking to race.
Lou’s Heaven bound.
God best be ready,
for a scumbag legend to be speedin’ for the win on his streets.

Dear, Lou…
you will never be forgotten.
Lou is smiling again.
Lou is happy again.
Lou is better than ever.
He has escaped his broke-down brain.
His soul is free.
He’s drivin’ that perfect Chevelle up on Heaven’s boulevard.

The mind is a terrible thing to lose, old Lou.
You were just a good old boy who lost his wits.
Now & forever a hotrod angel.
Lou you’re race’n your dream car in the great beyond.

“Oh, Lou, oh Lou..”
You would Groan.
“Damn tire kickers!”,
“damn tire kickers.”
Building a rage,
your hands up over your head.
“Goddamn tire kickers!!!”
you’d smack your gums, cross your arms,
& mumble to yourself.

On many a cold winter morn’
you’d be looking out the window at a frozen mud lot,
our slippery sink-hole car yard.
Your nose dripping,
with earmuffs on & a winter hat.

When a person pulled in, you’d be watchin’.
and nearly every other day you’d shrug and say.
“just a color’d feller.”
Then you would walk on out and try n’ sell em’.

You worked the lots most your life.
You worked long and you worked hard.
You finally got your heavenly ride.
Time to attain those long lost dreams.

“Oh, Lou, oh Lou…”
You told me when I was new to driving
“Not to worry about the person riding your ass.
Hell with em’! Break check the sum bitch..!”

There was a day at the lot when we were talking about someone,
who had just lost both their parents.
I remember Lou holding back tears saying,
“I haven’t seen my Mom and Dad in a long time.”
“I miss them.”
“They’ve been long gone.”
“Don’t matter how old you are,
I miss my parents.”
“Well, what can you do?”
He then seamlessly held his sadness back,
Pitting it once more and went back to the day at hand.
“They don’t make em’ like Lou no more…”

The big sleep has come to you.
You were a car man.
You will always be a car man.
It was your time.
Take your folks for a heavenly drive,
Old Lou.

He’s a hotrod angel.
Peelin’ rubber on the clouds,
In your perfect Chevelle.
You sold cars out of the mud with us.
You helped our business get out of the rough.
While in the twilight years of your life you chose to help us.
You gave us your best.
We are forever grateful for you.

“Oh, Lou, oh Lou…”
has gained his wings.
The years of Chevelle chasin’ are over for you.
So, goodbye for now,
Dear, Lou.