RidingWithPrivateMalone

Riding With Private Malone - David Ball

I was just out of the service

Thumbing through the classifieds

When an ad that said Old Chevy

Somehow caught my eye

The lady didn't know the year or even if it ran

But I had that thousand dollars in my hand

It was way back in the corner of this old ramshackle barn

With thirty years of dust and

Dirt on that green army tarp

And when I pulled the cover off

It took away my breath

What she called a Chevy was a sixty-six Corvette

And I felt a little guilty as I counted out the bills

But what a thrill I got when

I sat behind the wheel

I opened up the glove box

And that's when I found the note

The date was 1966

And this is what he wrote

He said My name is Private Andrew Malone

And if you're reading this

Then I didn't make it home

But for every dream that's shattered

Another one comes true

This car was once a dream

Of mine now it belongs to you

Though you may take her

And make her your own

You'll always be riding with Private Malone

Well it didn't take me long at all

I had her running good

I loved to hear those horses thunder

Underneath her hood

I had her shining like a diamond

And I put the rag top down

All the pretty girls would stop

And stare as I drove her through town

The buttons on the radio

Didn't seem to work quite right

But it picked up that oldies show

Especially late at night

I get the feeling sometimes

If I turned real quick I'd see

A soldier riding shotgun

In the seat right next to me

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone

Who fought for his country

And never made it home

But for every dream that's shattered

Another one comes true

This car was once a dream of his

Back when it was new

He told me to take her and make her my own

And I was proud to be riding with Private Malone

One night

It was raining hard

I took the curve too fast

I still don't remember much about that fiery crash

But someone said they thought