Text: Robert Earl Keen. Shades of Gray.

We made Oklahoma a little after 3
Randy, his brother Bob and my old GMC
We had some moonshine whiskey and some of Bob's homegrown
We were so messed up we didn't know if we were drunk or stoned

Randy was a sad-sack, tall kinda frail
Bob was a raving maniac, crazy in the head
They been kicked out of high school several years ago
For pushin' over port-a-cans at the 4-H rodeo

Since then they've done their little dance right outside the law
Popped twice in Oklahoma, once in Arkansas
And I don't know what possessed me to want to tag along
'Cause I was raised a Christian and I knew right from wrong

Right or wrong, black or white
Cross the line you're gonna pay
In the dawn before the light
Live and die by the shades of gray

We stole two Charolais heifers from Randy's sweetheart's paw
Sold them at the livestock sale outside of Wichita
We got 900 dollars and never did suspect
The world of hurt we'd be in once we cashed that check

Next day we heard the story on the local radio
We made our plans that very night to go to Mexico
And I swear we would have made it if it wasn't for that shine
I got sick about the time we crossed that Kansas line

Right or wrong, black or white
Cross the line you're gonna pay
In the dawn before the light
Live and die by the shades of gray

I was layin' in the bar ditch prayin' I would die
When a light come on above us and a voice come from the sky
A half a dozen unmarked cars came screeching to a halt
They grabbed Bob, he started screamin' it was all my fault

There were men and dogs and helicopter buzzin' all around
They had the brothers on the pickup hood and me down on the ground
Bob flew all to pieces but Randy he held tight
When a black man in a suit and tie stepped out into the light
He told his men to turn us loose they put down their guns
He said these are just some sorry kids, they ain't the ones

Right or wrong, black or white
Cross the line you're gonna pay
In the dawn before the light
Live and die by the shades of gray

So they left us by the roadside down hearted and alone
Randy got behind the wheel said boys I'm going home
So we turned around to face our fate hung over but alive
On that mornin' in late April, Oklahoma, 1995

Right or wrong, black or white
Cross the line you're gonna pay
In the dawn before the light
Live and die by the shades of gray
Live and die by the shades of gray
Live and die by the shades of gray