Riding With Private Malone

Album

Amigo

Label

Dualtone

Genre

Country

Media Type

AC

Duration

4:20

Composer(s)

Wood Newton;Thomas Shepherd

Entered Chart

Oct 27, 2001

Peak Date

Dec 15, 2001

Released

August 13, 2001

Recorded

May 9, 2001

Catalog #

Dualtone Album Cut

This song is about a guy who buys a "Chevy" which turns out to be a Corvette. In the car he finds a note written by a soldier named Private Andrew Malone. It says that if you are reading this it means he never made it home and that you will always be riding with Private Malone. The guy always feels Private Malone with him while he is driving, then one night he gets into a bad wreck and someone says they saw a soldier pull him from the crash - he knows that it was Private Malone.

I was just out of the service thumbing through the classifieds
When an ad that said, "old Chevy"
Somehow caught my eye

The lady didn't know the year or even if it ran
But I had that thousand dollars in my hand

It was way back in the corner of this old ramshackle barn
With thirty years of dust and dirt on that green Army tarp

And when I pulled the cover off
It took away my breath
What she'd called a Chevy was a sixty-six Corvette

And I felt a little guilty as I counted out the bills
What a thrill I got when I sat behind the wheel
I opened up the glove box and that's when I found the note
The date was nineteen sixty-six and this is what he wrote

He said, "My name is Private Andrew Malone
And if you're reading this, then I didn't make it home
But for every dream that's shattered, another one comes true
This car was once a dream of mine, now it belongs to you
And though you may take her and make her your own
You'll always be riding with Private Malone"

Well, it didn't take me long at all, I had her running good
I love to hear those horses thunder underneath her hood
I had her shining like a diamond and I'd put the rag top down
All the pretty girls would stop and stare as I drove her through town

The buttons on the radio didn't seem to work quite right
But it picked up that oldie show, especially late at night
I'd get the feeling sometimes if I turned real quick, I'd see
A soldier riding shotgun in the seat right next to me

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home

But for every dream that's shattered, another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his, back when it was new
And he told me to take her and make her my own
And I was proud to be riding with Private Malone

Well, one night it was raining hard, I took the curve too fast
I still don't remember much about that fiery crash

Someone said they thought they saw a soldier pull me out
They didn't get his name, but I know without a doubt

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home

But for every dream that's shattered, another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his, back when it was new
And I know I wouldn't be here if he hadn't tagged along
Yeah, that night, I was riding with Private Malone

Oh, thank God, I was riding with Private Malone
Private Malone