I crossed deserts and mountains
in the cold and burnin' sun.
Herded cattle east, brought settlers west,
Ma' day wus never done.

I carried calves 'cross ma' saddle
'Cause they wus too weak ta' walk.
Rode by cowboys, ridin' herd
that wus too dern cold ta' talk.

I saw spooked cattle run fer miles
At the sound of a snappin' twig.
Buried cowboys under stacks of rocks,
The ground wus too hard to dig.

I et' all kinds of trail drive cookin'
Sum wus good an' sum wus bad.
I filled ma' plate an' gobbled it down,
'cause that wus all I had.

I fit' off Indians and rustlers too,
Jus' to make it thru' another day.
Sum' days wus tough and sum' wus tougher.
That wus the cowboy way.

I wus once praised in movies,
Kids called me hero and such.
Only a few 'member me now,
Nobody cares that much.

I guess I'm jus' disappointed,
I wus fergot so fast.
You wouldn't have a present or future,
If I hadn't rode thru' the past.