2025 Competition Lyrics Entry:

The Drifter by Rick Poplawski

Lyrics

I’m drifting down the highway
Guitar across my back
Hitchin is my life now
Empty dreams inside my pack

Town to town
A new song played
A few dollars in my hat

Burger and a coffee
Depends on where I’m sat

Might sleep below
The boardwalk
Might hear the waves
That don’t come back
Might think about tomorrow
Might bide my time
In an old beach shack

Couldn’t take no more
Of that city heat
Dry days just fried my mind

Sat around on every corner
Searched my head
But I couldn’t find

Any hope or any solace
Wonderin what got
Me in this bind

Office suits and hailing cabs
And jumping lights all day
Wall street freaks
Empty coffe cups
All earning too much pay

Too much noise
And no more time
For junkies and their pain

Had enough
Don’t want this city life
Couldn’t stand the stench nor stain

I picked up my guitar and hat
Took the long road to be free

Knew these scrapers in the sky
Could never be for me

Hitched a ride
Clear out of there
Made my way
To the farthest town

Found a stray one night when walking
That boy still hangs around

Might sleep below
The boardwalk
Might hear the waves
That don’t come back
Might think about tomorrow
Might bide my time
In an old beach shack

Town to Town
A new song played
A few dollars in my hat
Burger and a coffee
Depends on where I’m sat

I’ll stay drifting down the highway
With my guitar across my back
Hitchin is my life now
Empty dreams inside my pack

Town to town
A new song played
My stray right by my side

Sometimes under
That boardwalk
Is where we like to hide

Guess we’ll just go with the tide

Yeah

Just go with the tide

We’ll just go with the tide

We’ll drift on with that tide…..

Bio

Started writing lyrics in Oct 2024 and never going to look back!

Co-author(s)

Lyrics Competition Results

Emotional Impact:
6/ 20
Technical Skill:
5/ 20
Memorability:
5/ 20
Storytelling:
6/ 20
Imagery:
5/ 20
Total Score:
27/ 100
Commended

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