About The Song
Put Jerry Reed’s “East Bound and Down” on your next road trip playlist, and you’ll know why it’s a classic choice when you’re traveling far. Written by Jerry Reed and Dick Feller, the hit track was made for the soundtrack of the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit. The laidback country tune will let you picture a drive with an old chugging truck. Of course, you’ll also feel how the old classic theme works.
On a fateful day of August 1, 1977, America got its first taste of a fresh country flair. Strolling down memory lane, the East Bound and Down song is an uptempo song that’ll keep you company in a long journey.
It’s a song that tells the story of a group that has a mission to rush a bootleg beer delivery in a truck. Everything was going well until they were pursued by a sheriff whose name is ‘Smokey.” His name is a Citizens Band (CB) radio slang for a highway patrol officer. The song gives a positive amount of raw emotion combine with nuance, which paved the way for it to be an instant favorite of listeners.
Country music would not be the same if Jerry Reed songs weren’t composed. The country icon shaped country music ever since he started writing songs in high school. The “Guitar Man” singer teamed up with record producer and publisher Bill Lowery when he was 18 years old. His taste is derived from his upbringing, which is a solid Georgian folk. More so, his “East Bound and Down” song created the world of classic country laidback vibe.
Reaching the number 2 spot on the US Country Music Charts, the hit track incredibly stayed for 16 whole weeks. It’s a surprise how a widespread phrase like “bound and down” among truckers can create a famous classic country song.
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Lyrics
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’
A-we gonna do what they say can’t be done
We’ve got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run
Keep your foot hard on the pedal
Son, never mind them brakes
Let it all hang out ’cause we got a run to make
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta
And there’s beer in Texarkana
And we’ll bring it back no matter what it takes
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’
A-we gonna do what they say can’t be done
We’ve got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’
A-we gonna do what they say can’t be done
We’ve got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run
Ol’ Smokey’s got them ears on
He’s hot on your trail
And he aint gonna rest ’til you’re in jail
So you got to dodge ‘im and you got to duck ‘im
You got to keep that diesel truckin’
Just put that hammer down and give it hell
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’
A-we gonna do what they say can’t be done
We’ve got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run