Virgil was the foreman of a dude ranch cattle crew.

Harley worked the summers then, his brother Red did, too.

Charlie rode the big bulls for the guests who came along

And Billy rode hard for the girls in the yard,

And DL sang the songs.

*Saddle pals and old compadres, they were brothers with the wind

That blew them down their home trails, then blew them back again.

To rope and ride and wrangle at tourists beck and call.

And live a cowboy’s fate a hundred years too late,

And DL saw it all.

Chorus:

But that western wind keeps blowing as it has down through the years.

And the rivers keep on flowing, they never know the cowboy’s fears.

His sunset slowly fades away, like the range he’s riding on.

Look around and he’ll be going, look again and he’ll be gone.

One night around the campfire Virgil told us all the news.

He said “Boys, they’re gonna shut us down, and then they’re gonna turn us loose.”

Well Billy said, “I’ll just stay right here! It may all be ending soon,

But this is one cowhand who’ll never leave the land.”

And DL played a tune.

Bridge:
And I wonder if we’re gonna miss the cowboys
when they’ve all become one with history?
Will we miss him riding tall in his saddle,
when the only one that’s left would be me.
And I’ll just be here to tell his old story.

Virgil took up preaching, Harley went back to school.

I think Red went to prison, but then he always was a fool.

Charlie was killed in Dallas by a bull he couldn’t hold down.

DL still sings for the money it brings,

And Billy took a job in town.

*This verse wasn’t included in the final recording. Sorry.