30,000 Pounds of Bananas (Live) [1975] (Live; 1975)

It was just after dark when the truck started down

The hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania

Carrying thirty thousand pounds of bananas

Carrying thirty thousand pounds (hit it Big John) of bananas

He was a young driver

Just out on his second job

And he was carrying the next day's pasty fruits

For everyone in that coal-scarred city

Where children play without despair

In backyard slag-piles and folks manage to eat each day

Just about thirty thousand pounds of bananas

Yes, just about thirty thousand pounds (scream it again, John) of bananas

He passed a sign that he should have seen

Saying "shift to low gear, a fifty dollar fine my friend."

He was thinking perhaps about the warm-breathed woman

Who was waiting at the journey's end

He started down the two mile drop

The curving road that wound from the top of the hill

He was pushing on through the shortening miles that ran down to the depot

Just a few more miles to go

Then he'd go home and have her ease his long, cramped day away

And the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas

Yes the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas

He was picking speed as the city spread its twinkling lights below him

But he paid no heed as the shivering thoughts of the nights

Delights went through him

His foot nudged the brakes to slow him down

But the pedal floored easy without a sound

He said "Christ!"

It was funny how he had named the only man who could save him now

He was trapped inside a dead-end hellslide

Riding on his fear-hunched back

Was every one of those yellow green

I'm telling you thirty thousand pounds of bananas

Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of bananas

He barely made the sweeping curve that led into the steepest grade

And he missed the thankful passing bus at ninety miles an hour

And he said "God, make it a dream!"

As he rode his last ride down

And he said "God, make it a dream!"

As he rode his last ride down