The Nightguards Lament

G C A HUNDRED YEARS AGO TIMES WERE HARDER G D PUSHIN' HORNS UP NORTH TO MEET THE TRAIN G C THE COWBOYS ON THE DRIVE THOUGHT THEY WERE LUCKY G F THEY HAD A JOB THAT PAID ‘EM CASH Am D G AND THEY ONLY HAD TO LAST, THROUGH THE PAIN THE LONLIEST JOB OF ALL WAS THE NIGHTGUARD THE COWS AND MOON AND STARS WERE HIS WHOLE WORLD HE'D SING A SOFT REFRAIN TO THE CATTLE BUT HE COULDN'T KEEP HIS MIND FROM DREAMIN' ALL THE TIME OF HIS GIRL Em C G C SOME OF HIS NIGHTS WERE EASY, WHEN THE WEATHER LEFT HIM ALONE Em C G D OTHER NIGHTS OF RAIN AND HAIL LEFT HIM FROZEN TO THE BONE Em C WHEN THE LIGHTNIN' HIT AND THE CATTLE BROKE, G C LORD KNOWS THERE WAS HELL TO PAY G F Am D AND HE'D CHASE ‘EM DOWN ALL NIGHT, AND PRAY FOR THE LIGHT G F Am D OF THE DAY SOMETIMES THE NIGHTGUARD DIDN'T MAKE IT WHEN THE RIVER OR A LONGHORN TOOK HIS LIFE AND GONE WERE HIS DREAMS OF THE FUTURE OF GETTING' OFF THE TRAIL, AND MAKIN' THAT LITTLE GIRL, HIS WIFE