My father stole my wife, Nadine,
And they run off together.
My brother took off after them,
Hell bent for leather.
I would have gone myself but then,
I was on the job,
So who was there to turn to then,
But Brother Billy-Bob.
He found them in a cheap motel,
The other side of the mountain,
Burst in the room and pulled his gun,
And Dad went down 'thout countin'.
Billy-Bob then grabbed Nadine,
And threw her in the truck,
You'd think he'd bring her straight to me,
But there ain't no such luck.
He looked into her big blue eyes,
Said, You are now my gal.
I really ought to take you home,
But yer purty as a spotted cow.
So now Nadine's with Bill-Bob,
But I guess I'll just leave her.
The best revenge on both of them,
Is fer me to let him keep her.
It seems that a bad cloud of rudeness is on the horizon
That would like to cause bad weather
Seems to have a real bad attitude
Make one wonder where respect has gone
Maybe could be a lack of a strap of leather
No more Yes Sir and No Sir, now, "Hey old dude"
They say that it is just a trend, "talking trash"
They say that they are cool and that they rule
Until that talk lands them in jail
And big old Bubba settles their hash
Then they see the real fool
Because in there it is pass or fail
Some say that they will grow out of it, just having fun
But some never do, is there to stay
Like a gentle breeze to a hurricane
Then the damage has been done
When the Devil is at play
In one way or another we all feel the pain
A playful whirlwind to a terrible tornado
Twisting and tearing as it makes it's path
Most all are in this form
Hell bent for leather as they go
Spinning out of control spreading their wrath
No, it is not just a passing storm
“Back in my day” his stories all would start
I’d lean in close to listen though I knew ‘em all by heart
He was a living legend, one of Texas’ best
Not just another lawman with a tin star on his chest
He fought along “RIP” Ford & John Coffee Hayes
When Texas was wooly & wild, back in the good old days
“One Riot, One Ranger” I’ve heard it said many times before
from fighting off Commanches to turning the tide of a range war
A Ranger never faltered, never imagined he could lose a fight
He’d go hell bent for leather just to turn a wrong to right.
From Nueces to Salado Creek he patrolled the border land
Dealing out swift justice with a smoking Colt sitting easy in hand
Hardin, Iron Jacket & Sam Bass thought they could get away
The Rangers ran them down to ground, the stories still are told today
Great Granddad was a hero, one of Texas’s best
Not just another lawman with a tin star on his chest
He passed on the legacy & the stories I’ll now tell
as I hear his voice echo when I start off, “ I remember well”
So tip your hat & raise your glass to the Rangers out there on patrol
and to all the Shadow Rangers, Rest in Peace, God rest your soul
Cowboys are a rough lot
Full of grit & fight
Hard to keep a hold of
Slip off into the night
Ride hell bent for leather
Freezing rain or blazing sun
Texas drought or blinding snow
Will find them riding
week in & week out
When they give their word
there's no doubt
They ain't worried about Wall street
Or the latest gossip spoke in town
They've got cattle to doctor
and miles of fence to pull
Cowboys are a dying breed
So I've heard it said
But we're still alive & kick'ng
Please don't bury us ‘til we're dead