“Gulf Coast Highway” by James Hooker and Nanci Griffith

More than 30 years ago, James Hooker wrote the music to “Gulf Coast Highway” for Nanci Griffith. Once he had written and recorded it, he played the music for Nanci as they rolled down the Pennsylvania Turnpike in a blizzard. With a little help from Danny Flowers, Nanci wrote the lyrics.

“Gulf Coast Highway” was released on Nanci Griffith’s album entitled “Little Love Affairs” in 1988. The album did not set any sales records, but the song touched hearts and is still doing so, three decades later.

The song recounts the daily struggles of life for a young couple. They work hard. He does physical labor, working on oil rigs and rice fields. She stays home, finding work, watching the bluebonnets, waiting for him. Together, they acknowledge, “The only thing we’ve owned is this old house here by the road.”

Listening to this song, we can see the natural beauty of an old farmstead in Texas.

“She walked through springtime when I was home

The days were sweet, our nights were warm.

The seasons changed, the jobs would come.

The flowers fade, and this old house felt so alone

When the work took me away…”

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“We kept our garden, we set the sun

This is the only place on Earth bluebonnets grow

And once a year they come and go

At this old house here by the road.”

Perhaps it is the sweetness of a relationship between two people who love each other that makes the song so popular. Maybe it is because we understand what it means to work hard and put all available resources into a home. But I think the song is a perennial favorite because it proposes that death is a sweet, natural process.

“And when we die we say we’ll catch some blackbird’s wing

And we will fly away to heaven

Come some sweet blue bonnet spring.

Yes, when we die, we say we’ll catch some blackbird’s wing

And we will fly away together

Come some sweet blue bonnet spring.”

Listen to a version of “Gulf Coast Highway” sung by Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson in the video below, or read the full lyrics here.