The road goes on forever and the party never ends
This is the kind of song that a songwriter dreams of writing and very few ever do. The Road Never Ends was released in 1989 on his second album West Textures. It has become Keen’s signature song. It’s a Bonnie and Clyde type of song framed by that chorus. I heard this song way back in the early nineties but was reminded of it in a comedy song of all things. Todd Snider with Beer Run .
Keen was born in Houston, Texas, and performed some concerts with the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. The song has been covered by Joe Ely, The Highwaymen, and Jack Ingram.
Keen grew up listening to Bob Wills’ Western swing, so he asked his parents for a fiddle. His frustration at trying to master it found him giving that up and trying an acoustic guitar…which worked out much better. He moved to Austin in 1978 and launched his professional career playing folk and bluegrass at night spots around town and other venues such as Gruene Hall in nearby New Braunfels.
Keen won the 1983 New Folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival which encouraged him to record his first album, No Kinda Dancer. In 1986 he headed for Nashville but less than two years he was back in Texas landscaping and trying to make a living. He kept playing and released a live album in 1988 and then this one in 1989. His popularity and influence grew after that.
He had a top 10 country album in 2001 called Gravitational Forces and his five next albums were in the top 21 in Country music and his last one called Happy Prisoner number 10 in 2015. Keen decided to retire and spend time with his family now.
This song has spawned a lot of tattoos.
The Road Goes On Forever
Sherry was a waitress at the only joint in townShe had a reputation as a girl who’d been aroundDown Main Street after midnight with a brand new pack of cigsA fresh one hangin’ from her lips and a beer between her legsShe’d ride down to the river and meet with all her friendsThe road goes on forever and the party never ends
Sonny was a loner he was older than the restHe was going into the Navy but he couldn’t pass the testSo he hung around town he sold a little potThe law caught wind of Sonny and one day he got caughtBut he was back in business when they set him free againThe road goes on forever and the party never ends
Sonny’s playin’ 8-ball at the joint where Sherry worksWhen some drunken outta towner put his hand up Sherry’s skirtSonny took his pool cue laid the drunk out on the floorStuffed a dollar in her tip jar and walked on out the doorShe’s runnin’ right behind him reachin’ for his handThe road goes on forever and the party never ends
They jumped into his pickup Sonny jammed her down in gearSonny looked at Sherry and said lets get on outta hereThe stars were high above them and the moon was in the eastThe sun was settin’ on them when they reached Miami BeachThey got a hotel by the water and a quart of Bombay ginThe road goes on forever and the party never ends
They soon ran out of money but Sonny knew a manWho knew some Cuban refugees that delt in contrabandSonny met the Cubans in a house just off the routeWith a briefcase full of money and a pistol in his bootThe cards were on the table when the law came bustin’ inThe road goes on forever and the party never ends
The Cubans grabbed the goodies and Sonny grabbed the JackHe broke a bathroom window and climbed on out the backSherry drove the pickup through the alley on the sideWhere a lawman tackled Sonny and was reading him his rightsShe stepped into the alley with a single shot .410The road goes on forever and the party never ends
They left the lawman lyin’ and they made their getawayThey got back to the motel just before the break of daySonny gave her all the money and he blew her a little kissIf they ask you how this happened say I forced you into thisShe watched him as his taillights disappeared around the bendThe road goes on forever and the party never ends
Its Main Street after midnight just like it was before21 months later at the local grocery storeSherry buys a paper and a cold 6-pack of beerThe headlines read that Sonny is goin’ to the chairShe pulls back onto Main Street in her new Mercedes BenzThe road goes on forever and the party never ends
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