Stood still on a highway
I saw a woman
By the side of the road
With a face that I knew like my own
Reflected in my window
Well she walked up to my quarterlight
And she bent down real slow
A fearful pressure paralysed me
In my shadow
She said “Son, what are you doing here?
My fear for you has turned me in my grave”
I said “Mama, I come to the valley of the rich
Myself to sell”
She said “Son, this is the road to Hell”
On your journey ‘cross the wilderness
From the desert to the well
You have strayed upon the motorway to Hell
Well I’m standing by a river
But the water doesn’t flow
It boils with every poison you can think of
And I’m underneath the streetlights
But the light of joy I know
Scared beyond belief way down in the shadows
And the perverted fear of violence
Chokes a smile on every face
And common sense is ringing out the bells
This ain’t no technological breakdown
Oh no, this is the road to Hell
And all the roads jam up with credit
And there’s nothing you can do
It’s all just bits of paper
Flying away from you
Look out world take a good look
What comes down here
You must learn this lesson fast
And learn it well
This ain’t no upwardly mobile freeway
Oh no, this is the road to Hell
Lyrics by Chris Rea
