Old Natchez Trace

Come to southwest Mississippi
My mind and body on the make
Determined to uncover some long buried secrets
On legendary Old Natchez Trace

How did the Clovis ever come here
Why they drop off the pace
And the Choctaw and the Chicasaw nations
How’d they lose a hold of the Old Natchez Trace

I pulled off the road to get a quick bite
She swept back a wisp of her hair
She was one hell of a high yellow
Could handle men, returned my stare
Traces of peoples who’d been on this land
Showed up in her body and face
Smokey sour, indeterminate race
A woman of the Old Natchez Trace
Born of the old Natchez trace

Slaves bought and sold, kidnapped and raped
On the trail to the marketplace
From Tupelo to Natchez, hear moans and feel tears
Crime on the Old Natchez Trace

Stories come oozing right out of the ground
The past’s not even past, I’ve heard said
History will sure be living tonight
I’ll be holding it tight in my bed