Lyrics Leroy's Dustbowl Blues - Steve Earle , The Del McCoury Band

Leroy was a farmer
And an honest man
Would have lived in Oklahoma
All his days
He just wanted left alone
To work a piece of land
But a hard wind come
And blew his dreams away

So he headed for the West Coast
Thought he could not lose
Rollin' down the highway
With the dustbowl blues

It's a thousand miles
From Broken Bow to Bakersfield
And the highway's paved
With heartaches all the way
Leroy drove on lookin' for a better deal
A place a man could settle down and stay

But the police at the state line
Beat him black and blue
Left him lyin' by the roadside
With the dustbowl blues

They say California is a paradise
Hollywood turns night time into day
But up along the San Joaquin
Those city lights
Might as well be a million miles away

When your kids are cold and hungry
Wearin' worn out shoes
Standin' in the garden
With the dustbowl blues