GDaina

I was just out of the service thumbing through the classifieds
When an ad that said:"Old Chevy" somehow caught my eye
The lady didn't know the year,or even if it ran
But I had that thousand dollars in my hand

It was way back in the corner of this old ramshackle barn
Thirty years of dust and dirt on that green army tarp
When I pulled the cover off,it took away my breath
What she called a Chevy was a sixty six Corvette

I felt a little guilty as I counted out the bills
But what a thrill I got when I sat behind the wheel
I opened up the glove box and that's when I found the note
The date was nineteen-sixty six and this is what it wrote:

He said,"My name is Private Andrew Malone"
"If you're reading this,then I didn't make it home"
"But for every dream that shattered,another one comes true"
"This car was once a dream of mine,now it belongs to you"
"And though you may take her and make her your own"
"You'll always be riding with Private Malone"

Well it didn't take me long at all,I had her running good
I love to hear those horses thunder underneath her hood
I had her shining lika a diamond and I'd put the rag top down
All the pretty girls would stop and stare as I drove her through town

The buttons on the radio didn't seem to work quite right
But it picked up that oldie show,especially late at night
I'd get the feeling sometimes,if I turned real quick I'd see
A soldier riding shotgun in the seat right next to me

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home
But for every dream that's shattered,another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his,back when it was new
He told me to take her and make her my own
And I was proud to be riding with Private Malone

One night it was raining hard,I took the curve too fast
I still dont remember much about that fiery crash
Someone said they thought they saw a soldier pull me out
They didn't get his name, but I know without a doubt

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home
But for every dream that's shattered,another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his,back when it was new
I know I wouldn't be here if he hadn't tagged along
That night I was riding with Private Malone
Oh,thank God,I was riding with Private Malone

Jerry Curl

Is this a song? Lets get the MP3.

gator79

yes it is

GDaina

Yes it is, David Ball, Riding with Private Malone, C&W. Great lyrics

ceweaver

I remember this song....Released a couple years ago, I think. Since I'm a fan of the genre and the car, I especially liked song.

427Hotrod

Yeah it was a great one for a couple of reasons....Vette's and Vet's...showed respect for them both!

I haven't heard it in a long time. Since most radio stations are controlled as to what catalog of music they play, obviously that one didn't get picked up.

Thanks for posting it!!


JIM

fotyfobravo

Yep it's a good song..

Just don't listen to it in front of your wife...she will laugh at you when you are sitting there crying !

JoeRags

1Z87L8

This is just an incredible song/poem and brings back a great memory.

in 1982 i worked at a gas station here in hamilton,NJ, one day i had a regular customer pull in and he was driving a 62 corvette and it was a beautiful nearly perfect car.

when i asked him about it he said i was looking through the
trentonian ( local newspaper) and seen an ad for a 62 chevy $2500 or best offer and since i was looking for something old to work on i decided to give a call.
the car was on a old farm in a large barn sitting in a corner under a huge canvas tarp. the farmer told him it was his sons car and that he put it in storage before going to vietnam and that he never made it home and how the car was sitting right where his son had left it but he now needed the space in the barn and had finally decided to sell the car.

when he pulled back the tarp he couldnt believe his eyes there on blocks
was this 62 corvette in nearly perfect condition. he handed the guy $2500 on the spot.

when i seen it he had just gotten it on the road and all he had to do was
replace the brakes,tune up parts, put in some fresh gas and it fired right up
evidently his son had drained the tank and lines and filled the cylinders with oil before he shipped out he pretty much stored the car correctly
with every intension of coming home and enjoying his ride.

although it smoked a little on startup the car ran great.................

i havent thought about that in over 20 years thanks for bringing back a great memory

IrishJoker

That is one great song - our C&W station here in Baltimore played it when it first came out. You are so right it will make you cry to hear it! Being a Vet and catching the tail end of the Vietnam war, Operation Desert Shield and Storm and Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia. Any song that has "Vet" in it catches my ear but this one especially because of the "Vette" and "Vet"

If you want to here this great song: http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

crazywelder

I just downloaded it from itunes for .99 cents. There is another version from Thom Sheppard also.

sweethence

Vets with Vette.... Il like that its a keeper

Sweethence
USA (R)
Germany
Iraq
Kuwait
Turkey
Macedonia

PatsLs1vette

yeah thats a good song.

2TONE82

Vets with Vettes...that's the name our local club.

Check out the website at www.vetswithvettes.us

Yellow73SB

Yeah it's been out for like 5 years.

jdmick

Cute song. George is going to have to move his own thread over to C2 though since it's about a 66.

gq82

Thanks for the link...that's a real good song.

cooter69

i dont see the my goast coming back to save this idiot for first stealing my vette from my mother than destroying it by driving stupid i always thought it was a stupid song it should have said the goast beat the crap out of him and kept him from getting out of the vette. the man went to battle for his familys freedom and was killed you would think some one would have more respect.

c3dreamer

Excellent poem! Excellent song! Excellent story of Private Malone!

IMA 66

great song ran out and bought the CD as soon as i heard it when it first came out.