Name: Dirt Road Baby by J.D. Hodge-Oklahoma Songwriter/Storyteller
Duration: 3 min 1 s
Description: A nostalgic country ballad with red dirt roots, Dirt Road Baby tells the story of young love, Mustang nights, and small-town secrets. It's a throwback to wild youth, raw emotion, and the roads that shaped us.

A heartfelt country ballad about legacy, love, and finding peace beyond this life. “South Side of Heaven” paints a vivid picture of reunion, memory, and the sacred comfort of a familiar workshop waiting on the other side.

South Side of Heaven (4)

To Let You Go
Timothymichaelmusic
02 JUN 2025

V1
You called me up one day in June
You’d been sick for most of the Spring
I knew that there was something wrong
But I never expected this thing
Teardrops on a keyboard
Google knocked me to the floor
Cancer is such a scary word
And when they caught it, it was stage four.

Chorus
It was torture to watch you suffer.
I would have taken all your pain.
The pictures of your struggle
Forever tattooed on my brain.
Sometimes it’s quick and painless
Sometimes it’s awful and slow
Sometimes it has to be this way
So it’s a blessing to let you go.

V2
Last time we spoke was in slow motion
God did that so I’d realize
I’d never see your face again
One last look into your eyes.
The emotion in that moment 
Is something I had never felt
Because when I lost you momma
I lost a big part of myself

Chorus
It was torture to watch you suffer.
I would have taken all your pain.
The pictures of your struggle
Forever tattooed on my brain.
Sometimes it’s quick and painless
Sometimes it’s awful and slow
Sometimes it has to be this way
So it’s a blessing to let you go.

Bridge
I still see you in my dreams 
You really left your mark
The lessons that you taught me
Are held within my heart

Chorus
It was torture to watch you suffer.
I would have taken all your pain.
The pictures of your struggle
Forever tattooed on my brain.
Sometimes it’s quick and painless
Sometimes it’s awful and slow
Sometimes it has to be this way
So it’s a blessing to let you go.

To Let You Go



To Let You Go (2025)

A nostalgic country ballad with red dirt roots, Dirt Road Baby tells the story of young love, Mustang nights, and small-town secrets. It's a throwback to wild youth, raw emotion, and the roads that shaped us.

Dirt Road Baby

A haunting country ballad about love lost and the silence that follows. "But Not Gone...Gone" delivers raw emotion through stripped-down vocals, honest lyrics, and a melody that lingers long after the final note. For fans of Turnpike Troubadours, Zach Bryan, and the kind of songs that hit harder at night.

But Not Gone...Gone

“Tennessee Shores” is a heartfelt country ballad steeped in memory, distance, and longing. With acoustic roots and vivid storytelling, it captures the quiet ache of looking back while drifting forward—set against the timeless backdrop of the Tennessee waterline. For fans of Turnpike Troubadours, Tyler Childers, and Jason Isbell.

Tennessee Shores

An upbeat country anthem that captures the carefree magic of summer days, beach escapes, and that one unforgettable love. With sunburned shoulders and flip-flops flying, this feel-good track blends nostalgia and youthful freedom in a melody built for windows-down singalongs.

Siesta Key Burn

A heartfelt country ballad about legacy, love, and the unbreakable bond between two souls. This tribute captures the spirit of friendship, shop life, and a peaceful goodbye on the “south side of heaven.” Gritty, soulful, and true—this one’s for anyone who's ever lost someone who made the world feel like home.

No Lines To Cross

A raw, haunting country ballad sung from the heart of a woman facing her pain with nothing but honesty and a pen. Silent Struggles gives voice to the battles no one sees—the ones fought alone, without vices, without escape. Vulnerable. Unfiltered. Real.
(Verse 1)  
I don’t smoke weed, can’t drown in a drink,  
God help me, I’m on the brink.  
Falling fast but moving slow,  
These pills don’t help; it’s just for show.  

Judging eyes and gossip’s sting,  
Behind the mask, I hear them sing.  
So I smile wide, hide my fears,  
Behind the laughter lie unseen tears.  

(Chorus)  
Broken dreams on repeat,  
In this silence, I’m feeling defeat.  
No pity here, no sympathy,  
Just pen and paper, my therapy.  

(Verse 2)  
I don’t want to leave this life so bright,  
Three healthy kids, a love that feels right.  
On paper, it’s a perfect scene,  
But in my heart, it’s cruel and mean.  

If I rip it open, will it mend?  
If I let it out, will I finally transcend?  
These shadows linger, haunt my mind,  
But don’t worry about me, I’m just hard to find.  

(Chorus)  
I don’t smoke weed, can’t drown in a drink,  
God help me, I’m on the brink.  
Falling fast but moving slow,  
These pills don’t help; it’s just for show.  

(Outro)  
This lasting darkness taints my soul,  
But I’ll smile and wave, that’s my role.  
No pity, no sympathy, just my melody,  
This is my story, my self-therapy. 
June 5, 2025 at 11:24 PM

My Therapy

[Verse 1]
I was one last call from losin’ it all
One broke string from a free-fall
Gas light on and the rent past due
She slammed the door like she meant it too
Down on luck, up to my eyes in worry
So I closed my eyes and threw a pass in a hurry

[Chorus]
Hell Mary, full of fight
Drivin' fast into the night
Whiskey prayers and worn-out roads
Bet it all and let it go
A rebel’s rosary in my hand
Talkin’ to the stars like they understand
It ain’t church, but it’s close enough for me
This is my last Hell Mary

[Verse 2]
That truck bed’s seen better days
Like my heart, it’s full of scrapes
I play my cards like I play my sins—
All in once, then gone with the wind
A kiss goodbye and a six-string prayer
A voice like hers still hangin’ in the air

[Chorus]
Hell Mary, full of grace
Save a fool who lost his place
Radio up, past the point of shame
A holy shot in the devil’s name
I ain't perfect, but I still believe
That love might catch what I can't retrieve
Ain’t no priest, but I’m on bended knee
This is my last Hell Mary

[Bridge]
Ain’t no chapel, ain’t no crowd
Just the moonlight and the clouds
But if redemption’s down this line
I’ll ride ‘til I run outta time

[Final Chorus]
Hell Mary, don’t let go
If you’re listenin’ on that backroad glow
Every sinner’s got one last plea
And this is mine, just let it be
I ain’t askin' for forever, just one more chance
To throw that pass and maybe dance
With the love I lost and the man I wanna be
This is my last Hell Mary
June 6, 2025 at 6:23 PM

Hell Mary

[Verse 1]
I know this place like the back of my hand
Where the water meets the mud and the mischief began
[Verse 1]
South end of the lake, that old beaten track
If them dock boards could talk, they’d never shut back

We called it summer, we called it sin
Pulled up in beaters and dove right in
Now I tell the tales here in OKC
And they look at me like, "Man, that can’t be!"

[Chorus]
You had to be there—third boat dock nights
When the rules disappeared in the pale moonlight
We were too young to know, too wild to care
But I swear, son, life got real down there
Now there’s a new voice hummin’ a familiar tune
I was a senior, you were still breakin’ through
And I smile when I hear you sing it proud
You’re the keeper now of this reckless hometown

[Verse 2]
They say, “You’re not really gonna write that down?”
With a wink, I say, “Maybe, when the statute’s out.”
'Cause some of it’s sweet, and some of it’s dumb
But all of it’s ours, every bit we done

We lit up the night with cheap gas and dreams
Raised on hush hush and rowdy routines
Now you're the one with the pen in your hand
Singin’ the song only we’d understand

[Chorus]
You had to be there—third boat dock nights
When the rules disappeared in the pale moonlight
We were too young to know, too wild to care
But I swear, son, life got real down there
Now there’s a new voice hummin’ a familiar tune
I was a senior, you were still breakin’ through
And I smile when I hear you sing it proud
You’re the keeper now of this reckless hometown

[Bridge]
So raise a glass to the trouble we made
To the ghosts of the lake that still sneak out to play
From my time to yours, it ain’t ever gone
You’re just writin’ the next verse of our song

[Final Chorus]
You had to be there—third boat dock nights
Where boys became men by the dashboard light
We were too young to know, too wild to care
But I swear, son, life got real down there
Now you carry the story, I hand you the flame
You’re the one who’s carvin’ out our name
And when they ask if it’s truth or a tale too loud
You just grin and say, “I’m from that town.”

[Outro]
Yeah, that third boat dock—it remembers it all
Glad it can’t talk...but man, it saw.

I'm From That Town

JD Hodge is a retired operations executive turned lyricist and storyteller from Oklahoma, writing songs that sound like they’ve lived a few lives—honest, gritty, and full of soul. He loves music. After surviving a cardiac arrest, he finally started posting the lyrics he’s been writing for over 30 years. The stories are real. I hope ya'll enjoy listening to them as much as he's enjoyed writing them.

📍 Oklahoma, USA
🎙️ Retired • Lyricist • Country • Americana • Acoustic Soul
📬 For collabs or contact: jim@reddirtclassics.com

Dirt Road Baby

J.D. Hodge-Oklahoma Songwriter/Storyteller

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