About the song
Randy Travis’ “Three Wooden Crosses” stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling within country music. Released as part of his 2002 album, “Rise and Shine,” this poignant ballad swiftly captured the hearts of listeners with its rich narrative and heartfelt delivery.
The song, penned by Doug Johnson and Kim Williams, weaves a tale of redemption, faith, and the interconnectedness of lives through the symbolism of three wooden crosses on the side of a highway. As the song unfolds, it reveals the fateful journey of four individuals whose lives intersect in a tragic accident, ultimately leading to an unexpected twist of fate that underscores the overarching theme of divine providence.
Upon its release, “Three Wooden Crosses” soared to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, marking Randy Travis’ sixteenth number one hit on the chart and solidifying his status as a country music legend. The song also earned Travis critical acclaim, including a Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 2003, further cementing its place as one of the standout tracks in his illustrious career.
Randy Travis, with his distinctive baritone voice and emotive delivery, brings a raw authenticity to the song’s narrative, infusing each verse with depth and resonance. His masterful interpretation, coupled with the song’s compelling storytelling and soul-stirring melody, ensures that “Three Wooden Crosses” remains a timeless classic within the country music canon, continuing to resonate with audiences across generations.
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Lyrics
A farmer and a teacher, a hooker and a preacher
Ridin’ on a midnight bus bound for Mexico
One’s headed for vacation, one for higher education
And two of them were searchin’ for lost souls
That driver never ever saw the stop sign
And eighteen wheelers can’t stop on a dime
There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway
Why there’s not four of them, Heaven only knows
I guess it’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you
It’s what you leave behind you when you go
That farmer left a harvest, a home and eighty acres
The faith and love for growin’ things in his young son’s heart
And that teacher left her wisdom in the minds of lots of children
Did her best to give ’em all a better start
And that preacher whispered, “Can’t you see the Promised Land?”
As he laid his blood-stained bible in that hooker’s hand
There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway
Why there’s not four of them, Heaven only knows
I guess it’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you
It’s what you leave behind you when you go
That’s the story that our preacher told last Sunday
As he held that blood-stained bible up
For all of us to see
He said “Bless the farmer, and the teacher, and the preacher
Who gave this Bible to my mama
Who read it to me”
There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway
Why there’s not four of them, now I guess we know
It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you
It’s what you leave behind you when you go
There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway