This Old Road
Kris Kristofferson · This Old Road [2006]
Look at that old photograph
Is it really you smilin' like a baby full of dreams?
Smilin' ain't so easy now
Some are comin' true, nothing's simple as it seems.
But I guess you count your blessings
With the problems that you're dealing with today
Like the changing of the seasons
Ain't you come a long way (ain't you come a long way?)
Ain't you come a long way down this old road?
Looking at a looking glass runnin' out of time on a face you used to know
Traces of a future lost in between the lines one more rainbow for the road
Thinking of the faces in your window that you passed along the way
Or the last thing you believed in
Ain't you come a long way (ain't you come a long way?)
Ain't you come a long way down this old road?
--- Instrumental ---
Say you tried to chase the sundown and you let it slip away
And the holy night is falling
Ain't you come a long way(ain't you come a long way?)
Ain't you come a long way down this old road?....
This Old Road
Kris Kristofferson's 'This Old Road' stands as a quintessential example of his late-career acoustic storytelling, blending his signature country-rock sensibility with a reflective, almost melancholic tone. Recorded for the 2006 release of the same name, the track exemplifies the artist's ability to distill complex emotional narratives into simple, resonant verses. The song captures the essence of Kristofferson's broader discography, where he often explored themes of time, loss, and the enduring nature of memory. With its stripped-down arrangement and Kristofferson's characteristic vocal delivery, the recording serves as a testament to his enduring influence on the American roots music tradition, offering listeners a moment of quiet introspection that defines his later work.