The Good Road was originally written in 1988 and performed live during the late 1980s and mid 1990s when I was heading the underground alternative band 9-DAZE, not to be confused with any current band by the same name.

It is a little more upbeat than Earth Abides and No Time To Run with a deceptively simple message and a country-rock flavor.

Superficially, The Good Road carries a very simple message. Just be a good person. But what does that really mean? The lyrics offer some clues. Do the right thing even if it's not as easy as the alternatives, be a positive role model for young people, and do what we can to help others less fortunate.

Going a little bit deeper, the symbolism of the road as a path toward righteousness dates back to ancient times. Several Bible passages allude to highways that lead to salvation. There is also the enduring mythology of the crossroads, which is a place between realms where paranormal events can occur.

Goodness has also been the subject of philosophers dating all the way back to ancient Greece. For Aristotle, the good is that which moves all things towards the fulfillment of their nature. Philosopher Thomas Aquinas correlated goodness with truth, and if there is anything of value in The Good Road, it's that it relays truths.

Truths can be very controversial, but whatever the case, truth about a situation cannot exist without some criteria, that if not met, would make it false. Therefore there is always a dividing line, and that line is symbolized in various ways by the road. Most of us have heard the expression, "Keep to the straight and narrow." or "Take the road less traveled."

Among other things, the road less traveled symbolizes independent thought and freedom from conformity. So this song can be as simple or deep as the listener's capacity to reflect on the nature of good and evil.

You Can Help Make The Video

For the upcoming video, I'm crowdsourcing video clips and other imagery portraying acts of kindness, bravery, and other positive things. It can be as simple as a photo of a child holding a door for a grandparent, or as complex as a segment from an original dance performance. If you have anything that fits, please get in touch. Your photo or video clip could be in the video!

Lyrics