Highway 20 Ride – English Lyrics

• By: Zac Brown Band

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the poignant narrative of Zac Brown Band's “Highway 20 Ride,” a moving exploration of a father's love following a divorce. This song offers a unique opportunity to learn about expressing deep emotions and understanding the complexities of family relationships through heartfelt country music. Discover how personal experiences can be transformed into powerful stories that resonate with listeners .

[English]

I ride east every other Friday

But if I had it my way

A day would not be wasted on this drive

I want so bad to hold you

Son, there's things I haven't told you

Your mom and me couldn't get along

So I drive

And I think about my life

And wonder why

That I slowly die inside

Every time I turn that truck around

Right at the Georgia line

And I count the days

And the miles back home to you

On that Highway 20 ride

A day might come you'll realize

That if you see through my eyes

There was no other way to work it out

A part of you might hate me

But son, please don't mistake me

For a man that didn't care at all

So I drive

And I think about my life

And wonder why

That I slowly die inside

Every time I turn that truck around

Right at the Georgia line

And I count the days

And the miles back home to you

On that Highway 20 ride

So when you drive

As the years go flying by

I hope you smile

Yeah, if I ever cross your mind

It was the pleasure of my life

And I cherished every time

And my whole world

Begins and ends with you

On that Highway 20 ride

Woah, oh, oh, oh, 20 ride

Woah, oh, oh, 20 ride

Highway 20 ride

And I ride...

Woah, oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ride /raɪd/ A1	verb - To travel on a vehicle (like a bicycle, motorcycle, or horse) or in a vehicle (like a car or bus) as a passenger or driver. noun - A journey in a vehicle, on a bicycle, or on an animal.
drive /draɪv/ A1	verb - To operate and control a car, bus, or other vehicle. noun - A journey in a car or other vehicle.
wasted /ˈweɪstɪd/ B1	adjective - Not used in an effective or useful way; spent or used without getting a good result.
hold /hoʊld/ A1	verb - To have or keep something in your hand, arms, or between your fingers.
son /sʌn/ A1	noun - A male child.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - The period between birth and death, or the state of being alive.
wonder /ˈwʌndər/ B1	verb - To ask yourself questions or express a wish to know about something.
die /daɪ/ A2	verb - To stop living; to cease to exist.
truck /trʌk/ A2	noun - A large road vehicle used for carrying goods; a lorry.
line /laɪn/ A1	noun - A long, thin mark or band; a boundary or border, especially between countries or regions.
miles /maɪlz/ A1	noun - A unit of distance equal to 1,760 yards or 1.609 kilometers. (Plural form of 'mile')
highway /ˈhaɪweɪ/ A2	noun - A main road, especially one connecting towns or cities.
realize /ˈriəlaɪz/ B1	verb - To understand or become aware of a particular fact or situation.
hate /heɪt/ A2	verb - To feel intense dislike for someone or something. noun - Intense dislike.
mistake /mɪˈsteɪk/ A2	verb - To be wrong about or to misunderstand something; to confuse one person or thing with another. noun - An action or opinion that is incorrect.
care /kɛr/ A2	verb - To feel concern or interest; to look after and provide for the needs of. noun - The provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - To form one's features into a pleased, kind, or amused expression, with the corners of the mouth turned up. noun - A pleased, kind, or amused facial expression, with the corners of the mouth turned up.
cherished /ˈtʃɛrɪʃt/ B2	verb (past participle/adjective) - To protect and care for someone or something lovingly; to hold dear; something that is valued and loved.
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - The earth, together with all its countries, peoples, and natural features; a particular area of activity or life.
pleasure /ˈplɛʒər/ B1	noun - A feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment.

Key Grammar Structures

• I ride east **every other Friday**

  ➔ Adverbial Phrase of Frequency (every other)

  ➔ Uses "every other" to indicate a frequency of occurring every second time.

• But **if I had it my way**

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (conditional clause)

  ➔ Expresses a hypothetical situation or a wish using the subjunctive form 'had'.

• A day **would not be wasted** on this drive

  ➔ Passive Voice (would + be + past participle)

  ➔ Uses the passive voice to emphasize that the day is not actively wasting, but is being wasted by the drive.

• I want **so bad** to hold you

  ➔ Intensifier (so + adjective)

  ➔ Uses "so" to emphasize the intensity of the desire.

• Son, **there's things I haven't told you**

  ➔ Existential 'there' + Present Perfect (haven't told)

  ➔ Uses "there's" to introduce the existence of things, followed by a relative clause using the present perfect tense.

• I **slowly die inside**

  ➔ Adverb placement (adverb + verb)

  ➔ Describes the process of dying using the verb 'die' modified by the adverb 'slowly'.

• Every time I turn **that truck around**

  ➔ Phrasal verb (turn around)

  ➔ Uses the phrasal verb "turn around" to describe changing direction.

• Right **at the Georgia line**

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase (at the Georgia line)

  ➔ Uses a prepositional phrase to indicate a specific location.

• And I **count the days**

  ➔ Verb + Object

  ➔ Simple sentence structure with a transitive verb and its object.

• A day **might come you'll realize**

  ➔ Modal Verb (might) + Future tense (will realize)

  ➔ Uses 'might' to express possibility, combined with the future tense "will realize".