Road Songs: Dead Skunk

Driving through Hastings County en route to the cottage, at that point when mayflies had caked the windshield, a familiar stench would waft through the vents in the Oldsmobile 98. Somewhere out in the fading light, a Buick had flattened a skunk and you'd reconsider that vanilla milkshake you'd been anticipating from Peterson's Dairy in Tweed. My dad, whose Loudon Wainwright album was a favourite of my brother and I, would then strike up the chorus to America's greatest road song. Listen here or enjoy some of the lyrics:

Crossin' the highway late last night
He shoulda looked left and he shoulda looked right
He didn't see the station wagon car
The skunk got squashed and there you are!

You got yer
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high Heaven!

Yeah you got yer dead cat and you got yer dead dog
On a moonlight night you got yer dead toad frog
Got yer dead rabbit and yer dead raccoon
The blood and the guts they're gonna make you swoon!

C'mon stink!