He was the black sheep of the family
How did mama's pride and joy
Go from such a precious baby
To the devil's poster boy
I'm gonna slick my hair like Elvis
Roll my cuffs like Jerry Lee
If the backbeat's born in hell
Then that's the place I want to be

Gonna be a midnight rider
Gonna burn my candle down
Followin that drivin' beat
To the dark side of town

From the barrooms of Deep Ellum
To the crashpads on the bay
He spiraled slow and steady
Down a lonely blue hiway


I'm gonna chase my beer with whiskey
Stick a needle in my skin
Gonna celebrate the mystery
Of the hole I've fallen in

'Cause I'm a midnite rider
Gonna burn my candle down
Followin' that drivin' beat
To the dark side of town

He loved that funky music
He knew the backroad scenes
Every barbeque and blues band
Between here and New Orleans

He put down the bottle
October '89
Eased up on the throttle
bought him a little time


But he was a midnite rider
He burned that candle down
Hangin' out on easy does it street
On the dark side of town

Big Al settled down
Along the banks of Onion creek
With a pickup and a hound dog
And a little lucky streak

He nursed that fragile frame
Through the hurricanes and drought
It was a summer wind that came
And blew the candle out

But he was a midnite rider
He burned that candle down
Followin that drivin' beat

To the dark side of town

Oh you midnite rider
I know you're still around
Hangin' out on easy street
On the dark side of town

On the dark side of town