While I was out a-ridin'
Graveyard shift, midnight till dawn
The moon was as bright as a readin' light
For a letter from an old friend back home

He 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
Boy, you must've gone crazy out there'

He tells me, "Last night I run up on Penny"
She's married and has a good life
Boy, you sure missed the track when you never come back
She's the perfect professional's wife

And she asked me, 'why does he ride for his money?
Why does he rope for short pay?
He ain't gettin' nowhere and he's losin' his share
Boy, he must've gone crazy out there'

But they've never seen the Northern Lights
Never seen a hawk on the wing
Never seen the spring in the Great Divide
And they've never heard old camp cookie sing

Well, I read up the last of my letter
And tore off the stamp for black Jim
And when Billy rode up to relieve me
He just looked at my letter and grinned
He said now, 'why do they ride for the money?
Why do they rope for short pay?
They ain't gettin' nowhere and they're losin' their share
Boy, they must've gone crazy out there'

But they've never seen the Northern Lights
Never seen a hawk on the wing
Never seen the spring in the Great Divide
And they've never heard old camp cookie sing