Nanci Griffith - Night Rider's Lament lyrics

While I was out a-riding

The graveyard shift midnight 'til dawn

The moon was as bright as a reading light

For a letter from an old friend back home

And he asked me

Why do you ride for your money?

And why do you rope for short pay?

You ain't getting nowhere

And you're losing your share

Oh, you must've gone crazy out there

He said last night I ran into Jenny

They married and have a good life

Oh, you sure missed the track when you never came back

She made 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 getting nowhere

And you're losing your share

Oh, you must've gone crazy out there

But 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

Oh, they never heard old Camp Cookie sing

Now I read up the last of my letter

And tore off the stamp for Black Jim

Well, Little Dougie rode up to relieve me

He just looked at my letter and grinned

And he asked me

Why do they ride for their money?

And why do they rope for short pay?

They ain't getting nowhere

And they're losing their share

Oh, they all must be crazy out there

'Cos 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

And they never heard old Camp Cookie sing