We made Oklahoma a little after 3
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Randy, his brother Bob and my old GMC
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We had some moonshine whisky
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And some of Bob's homegrown
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We were so messed up we didn't know
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If we were drunk or stoned
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Randy was a sad-sack, tall kinda frail
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Bob was a raving maniac, crazy in the head
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They been kicked out of high school several years ago
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For pushin over port-a-cans at the 4-H rodeo
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Since then they've done their little dance
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Right outside the law
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Popped twice in Oklahoma, once in Arkansas
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And I don't know what possessed me
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To want to tag along
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Cause I was raised a Christian
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And I knew right from wrong
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CHORUS:
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Right or wrong, black or white
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Cross the line your gonna pay
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In the dawn before the light
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Live and die by the shades of gray
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We stole two Charolais heifers from
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Randy's sweetheart's paw
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Sold them at the livestock sale
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Outside of Wichita
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We got $900 and never did suspect
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The world of hurt we'd be in once
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We cashed that check
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Next day we heard the story
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On the local radio
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Made our plans that very night
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To go to Mexico
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I swear we would have made it
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If it wasn't for that shine
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I got sick about the time we crossed
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That Kansas line
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CHORUS
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I was layin in the bar ditch
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Prayin I would die
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When a light come on above us
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And a voice come from the sky
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A half a dozen unmarked cars
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Came screeching to a halt
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They grabbed bob, he started screamin
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It was all my fault
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There were men and dogs
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And helicopter buzzin all around
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They had the brothers on the
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Pickup hood and me down on the ground
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Bob flew all to pieces but randy he
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Held tight when a black man in a
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Suit and tie stepped out into the light
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He told his men to turn us loose
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They put down their guns
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He said these are just some
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Sorry kids, they ain't the ones
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CHORUS
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They left us by the roadside
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Down hearted and alone
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Randy got behind the wheel
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Said boys I'm going home
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We turned around to face our fate
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HUNGOVER but alive on that
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Mornin in late April, Oklahoma, 1995
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CHORUS
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Shades of Gray
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Robert Earl Keen |