David Ball – Riding With Private Malone

The story in “Riding with Private Malone” tells of a young man that just got out of the military and how he saw a classified ad for a Chevrolet. When he saw the car, he realized it was a 1966 Corvette and before he drove away he found a note in the glove box that was from another young man. It said “If you are reading this I didn’t make it out of the war and I hope you take care of my car.” A while after the purchase the young man got into a horrible crash, a witness said they thought they saw a soldier pull him out of the car and he knew who it was – his hero was Private Andrew Malone. They were riding together that night.

Lyrics:
I was just out of the service thumbing through the classifieds
When an ad that said:”Old Chevy” somehow caught my eye
The lady didn’t know the year,or even if it ran
But I had that thousand dollars in my hand
It was way back in the corner of this old ramshackle barn
With thirty years of dust and dirt on that green army tarp
And when I pulled the cover off, it took away my breath
What she called a Chevy was a sixty six Corvette
I felt a little guilty as I counted out the bills
Oh what a thrill I got when I sat behind the wheel
I opened up the glove box and that’s when I found the note
The date was nineteen-sixty six and this is what he wrote:
He said, “My name is Private Andrew Malone”
“And If you’re reading this, then I didn’t make it home”
“But for every dream that shattered, another one comes true”
“This car was once a dream of mine, now it belongs to you”
“Though you may take her and make her your own”
“You’ll always be riding with Private Malone”
Well it didn’t take me long at all, I had her running good
I love to hear those horses thunder underneath her hood
I had her shining like a diamond and I’d put the rag top down
All the pretty girls would stop and stare as I drove her through town
The buttons on the radio didn’t seem to work quite right
But it picked up that oldies show, especially late at night
I’d get the feeling sometimes, if I turned real quick I’d see
A soldier ridin’ shotgun in the seat right next to me
It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home
But for every dream that’s shattered, another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his back when it was new
He told me to take her and make her my own
And I was proud to be riding with Private Malone
One night it was raining hard, I took the curve too fast
I still dont remember much about that fiery crash
But someone said they thought they saw a soldier pull me out
They didn’t get his name, but I know without a doubt
It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home
But for every dream that’s shattered, another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his back when it was new
And I know I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t tagged along
That night I was riding with Private Malone
Oh, thank God, I was riding with Private Malone

Wild Thing’s comment…….
This is really good, I had not heard about this before. It is such a sad story though and it is a true story he sings about.