While I was out riding the graveyard shift,
Midnight to dawn
The moon was as bright as a reading light
For a letter from an old friend back home.
Chorus:
He asked me, "Why do you ride for your money,
Tell me why do you rope for short pay?"
"You ain't getting nowhere and your losing your share.
Boy, you must have gone crazy out there."
He tells me last night he run onto Jenny
She's married and has a good life
Boy you sure missed the track
When you never came back
She's a perfect professional's wife.
But they've never seen the Northern Lights
They've never seen a hawk on the wing
They've never seen the spring at the Great Divide
And they've never heard old 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 just looked at my letter and grinned.
Because they've seen the Northern Lights
They've never seen the hawk on the wing
They've never seen the spring at the Great Divide
And they've never heard old camp cookie sing.