the wheel lyrics

Jerry Jeff Walker

If I took a rollin' wheel
And rolled it ten times round
Would it travel far from here
Or would it just go round
Round and Round

As a young boy I helped the old man
Workin' in the fields
And everyday, we hauled the hay
To the rollin' of the wheels
'Til one day the tractor laid
The old man down to the ground
The tractor pitched him into a ditch and
Left a dusty sound
Of the wheel that kept spinnin' round
The wheel that kept spinnin' round

CHORUS:
Rollin' wheel, rollin' on
Takin' us all on our way
Rollin' wheel, rollin' on
Takin back all that they gave
Takin' us all on our way
Takin' back all that they save

I've never knew my father well
The war called him too soon
Said he was an officer
Saw some pictures in my room
The letter said he was reported dead
Near the front lines he'd been found
A mine blew his jeep into a twisted heep
And I still hear the sound
Of the wheel that kept spinnin' round.

Rollin' wheel, rollin' on
Takin' us all on our way
Rollin' wheels, rollin' on
Takin' us all to the grave
Takin' back all that they save
Takin' us all on our way

My brother chased a dream of wheels
His whole life geared for the race
As soon as he could, he drove off for good
His whole life was short, quick, and straight
He only lived to spin those wheels
And make that move over ground
'Til the steering failed and he crashed the rail
And he laid there still for the sounds
Of the wheel that kept spinning round.

Rollin' wheel, they're rollin' on
Takin' us all on our way
The rollin' wheels, rollin' on
Takin' back all that they gave
Takin' us all on our way
Takin' back all that they say

As for me, my life's too short
The wheel has carried my far
Around this world 100 times
By bus, truck, train, bike , or car (???)
And just like the rest I roll on to my death
On a country road far from town
I stare by the wheel just as sure as I feel
That there won't be but one sound
That's the wheel that keeps spinning round

Yeah the wheel that keeps spinning round

Rollin wheels, rollin' on
Takin us all on our way
The rollin' wheels, rollin' on
Takin' back all that they say
Takin us all on our way
Takin' us all on our way

The rollin' wheels, yeah rollin' on
Takin' back all that they gave
Takin' us all on our way