West Texas Highway by Lyle Lovett , written by Boomer Castleman and Michael Martin Murphey

Lovett does the song in the key of F. I was not happy with the arrangements I found on the Internet, so I posted these. I lowered the key a half step, and changed one chord (the third one) to fit the music better than the posted chords I found. You can hear the obvious changes, so I listed them like this instead of trying to match them directly where they changed. If you’re trying to learn this song, I hope this post helps.  I also transcribed the lyrics directly from Lovett’s song on his Step Inside This House CD.

E7, A7 (bar chord), (Chord with these notes: A#-E-MUTED D- C#-F#-muted E) E-C#-F#-B7,E7

Now I was driving down

A West Texas highway

I seen a hitchhiker

And his thumb was pointing my way

He didn’t look suspicious

He didn’t look any too clean

So I, I put on my brakes

And I opened up the door

I could tell he was a bum

By the boots that he wore

He said I’m going down to Haskell

Got a woman back in Abilene.

He told me, Son,

East Texas is where I come from

I been riding that Jacksonville rodeo

And I got humdrum

I’m traveling around

A whole lot of Texas I’ve seen

Yes, and I’m mighty glad

You was pushing down my way

In your fancy clothes there

And this shiny Chevrolet

I’m going down to Haskell

Got a woman back in Abilene

Well he was grinning like a possum

A mighty happy rascal

He waved good-bye

When I let him out in Haskell

And that’s about the last

Of that old road tramp

That I’ve ever seen

But I’m still wishing

To this very day

That he had my clothes

And this shiny (big) Chevrolet

And it was me going to Haskell

With a woman back in Abilene

REPEAT LAST VERSE