Charlie And The Boys

G Em 'Started up the trail with Charlie and the boys; G Em My heart was sadly grievin'. G Em I started up the trail with Charlie and the boys, C D G Old San Antone a leavin'. G Em I started up the trail with Charlie and the boys; G Em The prairie winds was a-sighin', G Em And I couldn't look back at a one-room shack C D G Where Ma and Sis was a-cryin'. G As the herd lined out, G C G I heard the shout of old Charlie Goodnight clearly; Em I turned my head just sick with dread G D From the home that I loved dearly. G Em I hid my tears from Charlie and the boys, G Em My first drive to be makin'; G Em I can't say why, but I said goodbye C D G To my mother's heart a-breakin'; G And the cattle they bawled, and the herd just crawled C D G As we grazed 'em along the way; C D G Em The rivers we crossed, and the stock we lost, G D And we watched 'em swept away. G C D G Each mile to me an eternity, as I cursed the thirst and the weather. C D G Em Am D G A wearisome strife is a cowboy's life on beans and poundin' leather. G Mmmmmmmmm G Em I headed up the trail with Charlie and the boys; G Em Ol Blue was leadin' out steady. G Em The scout rode out on a northward route C D G To get the bed-down ready. G As I lay that night in a campfire's light, C D G Just memories to remind me G Em Of a mother's love and the Lord above C D G And the world I'd left behind me. G Em As I rode along the trail with Charlie and the boys, G Em The dark sky set us a-prayin'. G Em C D G An erie pyre, St. Elmo's Fire, on the backs of the longhorns playin', G And the heavens, they riled, and the herd went wild C G Like a devil had come to vex us; G Em C D G And I rode with dread and a hatless head just a-wishin I'd stayed in Texas. G And the cattle they bawled, and the herd just crawled C D G As we grazed 'em along the way; C D G Em The rivers we crossed, and the stock we lost, G D And we watched 'em swept away. G C D G Each mile to me an eternity, as I cursed the thirst and the weather. C D G Em Am D G A wearisome strife is a cowboy's life on beans and poundin' leather. G Mmmmmmmmm G Em As I rode along the trail with Charlie and the boys, G Em The Canadian's banks were a-spillin'. G Em The herd wouldn't go so we pushed 'em slow C D G 'Til we finally stopped 'em millin'. G Then a ruslter's raid was a visit paid C D G With lead and fire to pay G Em And I rode that night, and I learned to fight... C D G But better how to pray. G Em The trail was hard on Charlie and the boys; G Em At Dodge the rain kept a-fallin'. G Em The cowboys, all, were fools to fall C D G For every vice a-callin'. G And as the raindrops splashed and the lightnin' flashed, C G As Sodom's flames were burnin', Em C D G I rode from town to the old bed-ground just a-lookin' back a-yearnin. G And the cattle they bawled, and the herd just crawled C D G As we grazed 'em along the way; C D G Em The rivers we crossed, and the stock we lost, G D And we watched 'em swept away. G C D G Each mile to me an eternity, as I cursed the thirst and the weather. C D G Em Am D G A wearisome strife is a cowboy's life on beans and poundin' leather. G Mmmmmmmmm G Em 'Started down the trail with Charlie and the boys G Em Back to good ol' Texas headed! G Em Eatin' beans by the pail and dyin' on the trail C D G Were the only fears I dreaded. G And if I ever get back to that one-room shack, C G I swear that I will never G Em Go up that trail in the rain and hail C D G On beans and poundin' leather! G And the cattle they bawled, and the herd just crawled C D G As we grazed 'em along the way; C D G Em The rivers we crossed, and the stock we lost, G D And we watched 'em swept away. G C D G Each mile to me an eternity, as I cursed the thirst and the weather. C D G Em Am D G A wearisome strife is a cowboy's life on beans and poundin' leather. G Mmmmmmmmm C D G Em Am D G G Mmmmmmmmm