Michael Martin Murphey
Calico Silver
No rain and the weather got warm
Broke down and I sold my farm
Headed for the silver strike
I took my wife
Calico silver gave us life

You could hear the miners sing
When they made their hammers ring
You could hear them singing out
Oh, when they found
Calico silver underground

Pave the streets with silver
Let the wagons roll
Don't those mountains look just like
Calico

Fifteen years down in the mines
I watched the silver shine
Listened to the big wheels churn
They were turned
By Calico silver that we earned

Days were short and the laughter was long
Nails in the pine were strong
We thought nothing could go wrong
Not counting on
Calico silver to be gone
Pave the streets with silver
Let the wagons roll
Don't those mountains look just like
Calico

No ore in the richest mine
Railroad closed down the line
Nail up your windows and your doors
Close the stores
Calico Silver is no more

Got my wagon ready to go
Been a hundred years and more
Since we hitched up our team
And it seems Calico silver
Was a dream