While I was out a-ridin'
The graveyard shift midnight till dawn
The moon was as bright as a reading light
For a letter from an old friend back homeHe asked me
Why do you ride for your money?
Why do you rope for short pay?
You ain't gettin' nowhere
And you're losin' your share
You must've gone crazy out thereHe 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?
Why do you rope for short pay?
You ain't gettin' nowhere
And you're losin' your share
You must've gone crazy out thereThey've never seen the northern lights
Never seen a hawk on the wing
Never seen the spring hit the Great Divide
Oh, they never heard old Camp Cookie singI read up the last of my letter
And tore off the stamp for Black Jim
Little Dougie rode up to relieve me
He just looked at my letter and grinned
He asked me
Why do they ride for their money?
Why do they rope for short pay?
They ain't gettin' nowhere
And they're losin' their share
They all must be crazy out thereThey've never seen the northern lights
Never seen a hawk on the wing
Never seen the spring hit the Great Divide
Oh, they never heard old Camp Cookie sing