Finale (Tulsa '67)

When I stepped out
Into the bright sunlight
From the darkness of the movie house
I had only two things on my mind
Paul Newman
And a ride home

I've never been out of Tulsa before
I wonder what it would be like
I've never known anybody to leave
Most people get stuck here for life

I used to glorify how Cool Hand Luke was free
He wasn't tied to anything
I used to idolize the actors on the screen
I looked to Newman like a king

And now I look at what my brothers do for me
They're the reason that I'm standing here right now
One thing is certain
I can say without a doubt
Those heroes paved the way
So I could finally make it out

Darryl, you're the toughest guy I know
Just took me way too long to see
Soda, you're this family's heart and soul
Can you imagine how proud Mom and Dad would be?

I could picture hundreds and hundreds of boys
Living on the wrong side of cities
Boys with black eyes
Who jumped at their own shadows
Hundreds of boys who maybe watched sunsets
And looked at stars
And ached for somethin' better

And now I'm thinking 'bout the Dallys of the world
Always on the outside lookin' in
Bruises on their eyes
Wearing grease for their disguise
Trying to look tough so they're not beaten down again

And everybody loves to judge us
But nobody lends a hand
They see grease and dirty clothes
They never try to understand
That we all come from different places
We all start from different lives
But when they hear our story
Maybe we can change their minds

I wondered for a long time how to start
How to start writing about something that was important to me
And I finally began like this

This is Tulsa, 1967
And it's time this greaser's story's told
For the hopeless boy with the reckless grin
For the down-and-outs who can never win
On the outside lookin' in
Looking down, Johnny Cade will smile again

He was just too damn good for growin' old
And in his memory I'll stay gold
Stay gold
Stay gold
Stay gold (Tulsa, 1967)
Stay gold (Just one thing you need to know)
Stay gold (Tulsa, 1967)
Stay gold (Just one thing you need to know)
Stay gold