"East Bound and Down" is a song written by Jerry Reed and Deena Kaye Rose, and recorded by Reed for the soundtrack for the film "Smokey and the Bandit". The song features Reed on the lead vocal, and vocalist Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires on the harmony vocal. It was released in August 1977 as a single on RCA Records. The song's lyrics tell the basic plot line of the movie (leaving out the runaway bride element) of making a 28-hour round-trip run from Atlanta, Georgia, to Texarkana, Texas, and back to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer for an after-race celebration.
The song spent 16 weeks on the U.S. country music charts, reaching a peak of No. 2. It also reached No. 3 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
The "...and Down" in the title and lyric is CB radio jargon for driving with the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor, which is known as having the "hammer down". "I got the hammer down" or "I'm down" means "I'm driving as fast as I can". "[Direction] bound and down" remains a common sign-off for truckers on CB radio.
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