Band: The Overlook Hotel -- DV: Guitars, Lead Vocals; Mike Maneth: Guitars, Vocals; Doug MacBeth: Bass; Kelly Jestice: Drums
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Story behind the song
Where I come from in Southeast Texas, there is a local legend about Sara Jane Road, a relatively short stretch of two-lane blacktop the runs parallel to the Neches River. There are LOTS of different versions of the story, but the ones I always heard involved a lady named Sara Jane who either (a) drowned her baby on purpose so as not to be discovered by Union soldiers (fearing the baby's crying would give away her position) or (b) accidentally let her baby drown while fleeing from Union soldiers. Either way, her ghost was condemned to forever wander the thick woods surrounding what became Sara Jane Road, searching for her baby. I have driven this road many, many times and never seen or heard anything unusual, but I will say it it gets seriously dark out there at night and can get pretty spooky, especially if you kill the headlights. (At least it used to be; so many of the trees have been cleared away it hardly gets dark enough to put a scare into your girlfriend's little brother anymore. Progress marches on, I guess.)
So this song was inspired by the Legend of Sara Jane. The solo in the middle is me, the one at the end is Mike (he also came up with the little single-note line in the verses). We even managed to sneak in a bass solo.
This one also got played on Local Licks on KLOS-FM.
Lyrics
Sara Jane
Driving down that dark and lonely road
I thought I saw your face
Or was it just a shadow
Against the stillness of the night
That time could not erase
I know you’re out there somewhere
Can you hear me call your name
I know one day I’ll find you
Give you shelter from the rain
Sara Jane
Was it really such a long time ago
When you went away
Running through the shadows
Your secrets by your side
You’re running still today
Sometimes just before I close my eyes
Drift away to sleep
I can hear you crying
Somewhere deep inside the night
But your secret’s safe with me
