Driving west out on 1-40 on my way to taste some California wine
A broke down family flagged me down near the Arizona line
Their whole world was in a pickup I guess it couldn't pull the load
It was just our vacation but to them it was desperation road

The lines on their faces told the story of the places that they'd been
Now their home is a highway that never seems to end
Empty dreams and empty pockets sure can make a heavy load
To some of us it's just a highway but to others it's desperation road

Their eyes had a sadness from another place in time
A silent reminder that the grapes of wrath still make bitter wine
And it sure makes you wonder bout all the seeds our country sews
Which of us will be the next to travel down desperation road

I helped them start their pickup and watched them as they faded out of sight
Guess the last thing I remember is the faces of the children in my lights
That night in a motel room I had a dream that made my blood run cold
I saw my own wife and family standing out on desperation road

And their eyes had a sadness...
Could be your own wife and family standing out on desperation road