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Night Rider's Lament

by Don Edwards

on Last of the Troubadours: Saddle Songs II (2004)

While I was out a-ridin'
The graveyard shift, midnight 'til dawn
The moon was bright as a readin' light
For a letter from an old friend back home

He asked me, why do you ride for your money
And why do you rope for short pay
You ain't gettin' nowhere
And you're losin' your share
Lord, you must have gone crazy out there

Last night I ran on to Jenny
She's married and she has a good life
You sure missed the track
When you never come back
She's the perfect professional's wife

She asked me, why do you ride for your money
And why do you rope for short pay
You ain't gettin' nowhere
And you're losin' your share
Lord, you must have gone crazy out there

And they've never seen the Northern Lights
They've never seen a hawk on the wing
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Divide
No, they've never heard ole' camp cookie sing

Well I read up the last of my letter
I tore off the stamp for black Jim
When Billy rode up to relieve me
He looked at my letter then he grinned

He asked me, why do you ride for your money
And why do you rope for short pay
You ain't gettin' nowhere
And you're losin' your share
Lord, you must have gone crazy out there

Then they've never seen the Northern Lights
Never seen a hawk on the wing
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Divide
Lord, they've never heard ole' camp cookie sing