I don't know how he talked his dad into letting him have that car
but he drove away on graduation day and he never gave it back
and he took it to the track, and he drove it into town
must have got him a few girls, he really stood out from the crowd
oh he never was the same, once he drove off in the Gullwing

The doors opened like wings, and the windows didn't roll down
he'd be up all night in the workshop with the ratchet spinning round
when the lights turn red to green you better get out of the way
that 55 Mercedes always had a lot to say
oh you better pray for rain...

Well he opened an auto shop, and it never seemed to close
he'd be home at nine o clock, with grease stains on his clothes
and when the summer turned to fall, he'd go and race her in the south
there were silver bowls and trophies in every room of the house
and after winter comes the spring. he'd fly north in the Gullwing

We were growing up fast, and that took up all of his time
he could have sold her for a fortune, but it never crossed his mind
and I guess that's how it happens, you get the rust around the wheels
the engine won't turn over, and the fan belt squeals
it gets a little hard to swing, just trying to keep up with the Gullwing

Then one day he just stopped driving, I don't know when or where
it's the kind of thing you might not notice, until it's no longer there
but he still said someday soon, I'm gonna fix her up just fine
maybe you can race her, maybe even beat my time
but time's a fleeting thing. It'll pass you faster than a Gullwing

I took a drive down to Florida, all the way to Maine
stopped off at the racetrack, looking for the wall of fame
and searching the engravings, just looking for his name
I heard the crowd cheer, saw that tongue of flame
and I rode around the ring. Chasing his memory in the Gullwing