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
I'm gonna be a midnight rider
Gonna burn my candle down
Followin' that drivin' beat
To the dark side of town
From the bar-rooms of Deep Ellum to a crash-pad on the bay
He spiraled slow and steady down a lonely blue highway
I'm gonna chase my beer with whiskey, stick a needle in my skin
I'm gonna celebrate the mystery of the hole I've fallen in
'Cause I'm a, a midnight rider
I'm gonna burn my candle down
Followin' that drivin' beat
To the dark side of town
Well he loved that funky music, he knew the back-road scenes
Every barbecue 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
Cause he was a midnight 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 pick-up and a hound-dog and a little lucky streak
He nursed that fragile flame through the hurricanes and drought
It was a summer wind that came in and blew the candle out
'Cause he was a midnight rider
He burned that candle down
Followin' that drivin' beat
To the dark side of town
And oh you midnight rider
Yeah I know you're still around
Hangin' out on easy street
On the dark side of town