Central Highway

Lyrics: Leaving the coast, the mist is behind Lima’s neon is fading in my mind The bus is heavy, climbing the steep While all the passengers are fast asleep Through Ticlio’s pass, where the oxygen dies I see the cold stars in the Andean skies Holiday is over, the ocean is gone Back to the valley where I belong. Higher and higher, the engine groans Back to the iron, back to the stones (Back to the stones... back to the stones...) Oh! Running back to the metal town Where the chimney smoke is coming down From the Lima sand to the mountain grey The Central Highway leads the way It’s a rhythmic trip, it’s a lonely ride With the ghost of the city deep inside! Three a.m. at the bus window pane I smell the sulphur, I feel the strain Tomorrow the helmet, tomorrow the light Burning so dim in the deep of the night The mine is calling, she never waits I’m standing again at the iron gates From Pacific waves to the frozen mud The dust of Oroya is in my blood. Oh! Running back to the metal town Where the chimney smoke is coming down From the Lima sand to the mountain grey The Central Highway leads the way It’s a rhythmic trip, it’s a lonely ride With the ghost of the city deep inside! Central Highway... Back to the iron...