Let me tell the story, I can tell it all
About the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol
His daddy made the whiskey, the son, he drove the load
And when his engine roared they called the highway Thunder Road
Sometimes into Ashville, sometimes Memphis Town
The revenuers chased him but they couldn't run him down
Each time they thought they had him, his engine would explode
And he'd go by likе they were standin' still on Thundеr Road

Thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine and white lightning was his load
Moonshine, moonshine quench the devils thirst
The law, they never got him, 'cause the devil got him first

On the first of April, 1954
The federal man sent word he'd better make his run no more
He said "200 agents were coverin' the state
Whichever road he tried to take they'd get him sure as fate"
"Son," his daddy told him, "Make this run your last
Your tank is filled with 100 proof, you're all tuned up and gassed
Now don't take any chances, and if you can't get through
I'd rather have you back again than all that Mountain Dew"

Thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine and white lightning was his load
Moonshine, moonshine quench the devils thirst
The law, they never got him, 'cause the devil got him first

Roarin' out of Harlan, revvin' up his mill
He shot the gap at Cumberland and streamed by Maynardville
With G-Men on his tail light, road blocks up ahead
The mountain boy took roads that even angels feared to tread
Blazin' right through Knoxville, out on Kingston Pike
Then right outside of Bearden there they made the fatal strike
He left the road at 90, that's all there is to say
The devil got the moonshine and the mountain boy that day

Thunder, thunder over Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine and white lightning was his load
Moonshine, moonshine quench the devils thirst
The law, they never got him, 'cause the devil got him first
The law, they never got him, 'cause the devil got him first