From the recording Both Sides Of The River
THE MAIN LINE
“A nation turns its lonely eyes to you, young lady.”
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
I was on the way home to Arizona from Colorado. I stopped for gas at a truckstop outside Holbrook AZ on I-40. A cool wind redolent with rain was kicking up dust. I pumped gas, gazing over at the lot where all the big rigs were parked. I saw from the dark skies to the west and from the rain-spattered vehicles pulling off the interstate that I was in for a soaking somewhere between Holbrook and Flagstaff.
As I watched the wind tease eddies of dust among the trucks, I saw a young woman–a girl really, maybe 14 or 15–climb down from one big rig and walk down the way to another. I could see she was very young and very pregnant. She chatted for a bit with the driver of the second truck and soon climbed aboard.
Hmm.
I noodled on this all the way home and started writing as soon as I got home. I tried out and discarded half a dozen different stories of that young woman and her journey, some dark and some sad, but none quite right. Mary Pat helped me to make this song all it could be, because, well, that’s one of the things Mary Pat does so well. <3. It is my favorite track on the album.
Ed Skibbe, Cave Creek
August 2023
CREDITS
Ed Skibbe: acoustic, electric and baritone guitars, electric sitar, strings, piano, vocal
Spencer Pyne: bass
Brian McClure: drums
Donny Dark: lead guitar
Ian Maxwell: percussion
Melanie Rosonina: harmony vocal
NOTES
This track began as a “legacy” track that Spencer, David Sondrup and I originally recorded for the “Wood & Wires” sessions. Those original tracks had some technical problems that made them unusable as was, but we loved the feel, and used them as a guide. We recorded/re-recorded basic tracks (bass, drums and reference guitar and vocal) at ESP in Colorado. A few days later at ESP, I tracked the electric sitar (thanks, Gordon Close!), which I also used on “Slab City,” and a new lead vocal. Ian came down from Fort Collins one night and cut some amazing percussion parts for us. If you need some drumming or percussioning on your record, Ian is your guy. Later, in Colorado, Donny cut one of many of the killer guitar parts he added to this project. Talk about sympatico.
Back in Arizona, I added more guitars, piano, strings and the Danelectro baritone guitar at Coyote Tongue. Melanie recorded her wonderful harmony at Coyote Tongue. In the last recording session for the record, I tracked two additional baritone lines to complement Donny’s guitar part. I love how the baritone conjures “Wichita Lineman” a bit, but the song replaces the rugged individualist “lone wolf” patriarchal hero with a brave young woman dedicated to her unborn child. Melanie’s voice is perfect.
All in all, this track was a ton of work and a huge mix for Spencer to bring together. It is my favorite song on the record, and one of my favorite songs, period.
Lyrics
THE MAIN LINE (Skibbe, McKenna)
© 2022, Coyote Tongue Music, Tandem Publishers (ASCAP)
Truckstop west of Holbrook
Fought dirty rain all the way from LA
Dust swirls between the big rigs
One more ride will take her all the way
Daddy always said you make your own luck
Daddy was right most all the time
Now she’s chasing a dream at the end of a rainbow
She needs all the luck that she can find
Can you feel the change in the weather?
Can you read the signs?
She’s out there holding it all together
She’s out there on the main line
Growing up in Santa Ana
There was always plenty to steal or sell
She always knew exactly what was coming
Now sometimes she just can’t tell
She could be in Memphis by morning
If the driver keeps that hammer down
If the boy’s still there, she’s gonna find him
On the mean streets of that mean old town
Can you feel the change in the weather?
Can you read the signs?
She’s out there holding it all together
She’s out there on the main line
She’s out there on the main line
The baby moves inside her and she worries a little
But it makes her happy too
How something so good can come from so much heartache
She climbs up in the cab, he says he’ll drive them straight on through
Can you feel the change in the weather?
Can you read the signs?
She’s out there holding it all together
Can you feel the change in the weather?
Can you read the signs?
She’s out there holding it all together
She’s out there on the main line
She’s out there on the main line
She’s out there on the main line