Josh Tate, Tully Tate’s nephew, the son of his sister Ruth, was born in 1985 in Phenix City, Alabama. This song is a coming of age story, describing Josh’s first two loves: his girlfriend Sally Anderson and his car, a 1978 Chevelle.
Josh and Sally met in high school and were best friends which developed into their first experience with love. As soon as he could Josh saved up and bought a 1978 Chevelle, which he worked on and got running. With his new drivers license in hand he and Sally would go driving on Highway 80 outside of Phenix City.
Until the summer night that changed Josh’s life
Riding Shotgun in Phenix City
WRITTEN BY: F.D. LEONE
Phenix City, Alabama
We were in high school
Talked like we were slick
Walked like we were cool
I got my drivers license
Summer of 2001
Bought a green ’78 Chevelle
You rode shotgun
Didn’t know how brief
Our time would be
That summer was sweet
You rode shotgun with me
We rolled the windows down
Laughin’ in the wind
I’ve never loved anyone
Like I loved you then
Never knew what hit us
80 at Evans Road
A little cross stands at that corner
The Chevelle was sold
Didn’t know how brief
Our time would be
That summer was sweet
You rode shotgun with me
That summer was sweet
You rode shotgun with me
Phenix City, Alabama
We were in high school
© 2020 Frank David Leone, Jr./Highway 80 Music (ASCAP). The songs and stories on the Highway 80 Stories website are works of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
