I been warped by the rain, driven by the snow
I'm drunk and dirty don't ya know, and I'm still, willin'
Out on the road late at night,
Seen my pretty Alice in every head light
Alice, Dallas Alice

I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah
Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made
Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed
And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine, and you show me a sign
I'll be willin', to be movin'

I've been kicked by the wind, robbed by the sleet
Had my head stoved in, but I'm still on my feet and I'm still... willin'
Now I smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico
baked by the sun, every time I go to Mexico, and I'm still

And I been from Tuscon to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah
Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made
Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed
And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine
and you show me a sign
I'll be willin', to be movin



Lyrics submitted by cesium

Willin' song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • +4
    My Opinion

    Aside from the obvious references to truck driving, outlaw way of life (drugs, smuggling) and the scars one gets in that profession, it's really interesting that Lowell George references the cities Tucumcari and Tonapah in his alliteration. According to Indian legend, (look up Tucumcari on Wiki) Tonapah and Tocom were two braves vying for the hand of Indian princess Kari, and leadership of the tribe. Kari was in love with Tocom but Tonapah won the battle when they fought to the death. Kari then took the life of Tonapah before taking her own life. The story plays out as a tragic love triangle and quest for power in which all players lost everything. This sheds some light on the tie-in with Dallas Alice: lost love, lost opportunity and running away from life's troubles. The protagonist cannot go back to Dallas and can only move on by doing the things that he knows how to do, drive trucks, smuggle and self-medicate to ease the pain. By reitterating that he is "willin", the protagonist ackowledges that his life choices that led him to this point were of his own free will, that he accepts responsibility for his condition and knows the rough road that lies ahead of him is because of the choices he has made.

    heybro1on March 18, 2013   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Exactly. Beautiful song, has brought me to tears many times in the past, and still never fails to do so.

    Kobevaderon August 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    About driving a truck, being worn out, and thinking about the poon back home.

    smitty-atlon July 21, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think he/she is singing about moving on in life (the Waiting for Columbus version is my faverite). i think he/she is saying WOW have I been through a lot. I been warped, battered, drunk, dirty, kicked, robbed and I had my head stoved in but she/he is still alive and still "willin" for experiences and moving on to the next chapter of his/her life. He/she has been in a whole lotta trouble before. maybe trouble has ben his/her middle name at times in his/her life even though he holds down a job as a truck driver. he/she's been kinda bad cuz they tried to drive the "back roads" in order not to "get weighed". like do things in a backass way in order to not get into a mighty heapa trouble. but it never really works that way and things come back to haunt you and you have to go thru bad bad sad sad times in order to see the bright side of things. in order for things to improve. i think he/she sounds grateful for the experences - even the once that warped him and kicked him in and stoved in his head. he/she wants his/her friends as in - weed, whites and wine- and then he/she feels fine and he/she is reddy and willin to be moving on.

    I listend to this one in college alla the time. Yep i did goto college. then i got outta college and hav been gettin a real schooling.

    bumbledore321on August 25, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    Live, the band would add slurping noises to 'Weed, whites, and wine'. The currency of picking up hitchers included a little sexual favor now and then, I guess. Otherwise, drugs and alcohol. Pretty standard stuff. Love the choice of destinations for the truck runs, like in "Rock and Roll Doctor" when he talks about people coming "From Mobile to Moline" and "Nagodoches to New Orleans", very onomatopoeic and alliterative, more so the latter, I guess. In the end, one is willin' to do what they have to in order to survive. Great song.

    SpacePedestrianon February 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Check this out if you're a fan of this song, pretty cool: boogiewoogieflu.blogspot.com/2007/09/tehachapi-to-tonopah.html

    mrmikeobon November 20, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    It seems that Lowell George was fired from the Mothers Of Invention by Frank Zappa because of the lyrics of this song. Why ? I propose my theory. Maybe "Alice" is Vincent Damon Furnier, alias Alice Cooper. Frank Zappa was an idol for Furnier, also because Frank helped him to achieve success. Perhaps the song "willin'" says a little more. There are two expressed alliterations of 4 words : 1) willin' - weed - whites - wine ; 2) Tucson (Arizona) - Tucumcari (New Mexico) - Tehachapi (California) - Tonopah (Nevada). In my opinion a third alliteration of 4 words is implicit in the lyrics : Frank (Zappa) - f****d - (his) friend - Furnier (Alice). And so Lowell George was fired for writing a wonderful song, while Frank went from Straight to Bizarre Records.

    maxlookdjon August 16, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    If you give him weed and cocaine or wine he will smuggle it or you...or fuck you. anyone in the audience need a driver? or an orgasm? He got kicked out of Frank Zappas band for this song.. bc Zapa didn't want everyone to know they were smuggling drugs every where

    d.10972240on September 10, 2019   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    This song and me, we go way back. I will never not BELT IT OUT when I hear it. Hell, if I ever get around to singing karaoke, this'll be the first song I do. If they're cool enough to have it in the list.

    It's one of the classic trucker songs and a map of the Southwest too, but it's also about hope and keeping on keepin' on. It's atmospheric, witty and heartfelt, and it just might transport you somewhere else.

    Bearserkeron March 15, 2024   Link

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