Joanie Takes the Checkered

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[Verse 1] At the county line the engines cough awake, Chrome dice swing above the dash, Joanie’s got her lucky scarf tied tight, And a map tucked in the glovebox latch. Red ’33 with a hand-painted number nine, Black coupe grinning at the flag, The starter drops his arm—those tires bite, And the grandstand starts to brag. [Pre-Chorus] One more breath, one last look, Both hands steady on the wheel, When that flag falls, every mile Will tell us what is real. [Chorus] Burn it down the backroad, let the red dust fly, Two hot rods rattling under a copper sky, Round the bend, through the gears, hear the crowd call out, Joanie takes the checkered flag—there’s no doubt! Hey! Hey! The finish line is near, Hey! Hey! The whole town’s on its feet, Burn it down the backroad, bring that winner home, With a hot-rod heart and a rattling chrome! [Verse 2] Mack’s big Buick crowds the dusty turn, Joanie holds her line and grins, One quick shift, the little red car leaps, And the race is hers to win. Past the feed-store sign and the water tower, Past the bridge where the old boards shake, She hears her brother holler from the fence, “Bring it home for goodness’ sake!” [Pre-Chorus] One more breath, one last look, Both hands steady on the wheel, When that flag falls, every mile Will tell us what is real. [Chorus] Burn it down the backroad, let the red dust fly, Two hot rods rattling under a copper sky, Round the bend, through the gears, hear the crowd call out, Joanie takes the checkered flag—there’s no doubt! Hey! Hey! The finish line is near, Hey! Hey! The whole town’s on its feet, Burn it down the backroad, bring that winner home, With a hot-rod heart and a rattling chrome! [Bridge] The engines cool beside the county fair, Mack tips his cap; she waves her scarf, Tomorrow they’ll be telling it all over town, How Joanie beat the boys by half. [Guitar Solo] [Final Chorus] Burn it down the backroad, let the red dust fly, Two hot rods rattling under a copper sky, Round the bend, through the gears, hear the crowd call out, Joanie takes the checkered flag—there’s no doubt! Hey! Hey! The finish line is near, Hey! Hey! The whole town’s on its feet, Burn it down the backroad, bring that winner home, With a hot-rod heart and a rattling chrome! [Outro] Joanie takes the flag, and the red dust settles down, Hot-rod queen of the county town!