An Ode to an Old Friend (Dear, Lou)

60s outlaw country, gospel, soul, farewell ballad, soulful conventional male country vocals

Lyrics

“Oh, Lou, oh Lou.”
Good Ol’ Lou
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 man 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 enjoyed him some Hank Sr. tunes,
John Wayne films,
and a lot of Richard Petty’s drivin’.
That makes him a Red Blooded,
“American” Man..!
An Ohio “Original”,
An Ohio “Classic”.

He’s Chevelle cruisin’ to those pearly gates.
A hotrod 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!!!”
Then with arms crossed you’d smack your gums
& 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.
The lot had no furnace.

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 lost both their parents recently.
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.
You are with your Mom & Dad again.
Take your folks for a 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.