The Highwaymen – Desperados Waiting for a Train

The Highwaymen: A Supergroup’s Timeless Ballad of Friendship and Loss

The Highwaymen, a legendary supergroup comprised of country music icons Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, have left an indelible mark on the genre.

Background

One of their most poignant songs, “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” is a heartfelt ballad that explores themes of friendship, mortality, and the passage of time.

Released in 1995 on their album The Highwaymen: The Final Chapter, “Desperados Waiting for a Train” is a melancholic and introspective song.

The song’s sparse instrumentation, combined with the harmonious vocals of the four legendary artists, creates a somber and reflective atmosphere.

The lyrics paint a picture of four aging friends, contemplating their mortality and the inevitable passage of time.

The Highwaymen’s collaboration was a unique and powerful force in country music. Their combined talents and shared passion for music resulted in a series of iconic albums and unforgettable performances.

“Desperados Waiting for a Train” is a poignant reminder of the group’s enduring legacy and their ability to create music that resonates with audiences on a deep emotional level.

Video

Lyrics

🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤

… {kris
] i’d sing the red river valley
and he’d sit out in the kitchen and cry
and run his fingers through seventy years of living’
wondering, lord, has every well i drilled ran dry
we were friends, me and that old man

… like desperados waiting for the train
like desperados waiting for the train
{waylon
] he’s a drifter and a driller of oil wells
and an old school man of the world
taught me how to drive his car when he’s too drunk to
and he’d wink and give me money for the girls
and our lives was like some old western movie

… like desperados waiting for the train
like desperados waiting for the train
from the time that i could walk he’d take me with him
to a place called the green frog cafe
and there was old men with beer guts and dominoes
lying’ about their lives while they played
and i was called his sidekick[willie

… like desperados waiting for the train
like desperados waiting for the train
[john
] i looked up and he was pushing eighty
and there was brown tobacco stains all down his chin
to me he’s one of the heroes of this country
so why’s he all dressed up like some old man
drinking’ beer and playing’ moon in forty-two

… like desperados waiting for the train
like desperados waiting for the train
[willie
] the day before he died i went to see him
i was grown and he was almost gone
so we just closed our eyes and dreamt us up a kitchen
and sang another verse to that old song[john
[waylon
]”come on, jack, that son of a guns a coming”