Michael Martin Murphey - The Cowboy Christmas Ball
текст песни

Way out in West Texas, where the Clear Fork waters flow
Where the cattle are a-browzin' an' them Spanish ponies grow;
Where the Northers come a-whistlin' and the old dust devils roll;
And the prairie dogs are sneezin' an' freezin' from the cold
Where the lonesome, tawny prairies melt into the airy streams,
And the Double Mountains slumber in the heavenly kind of dreams;
Where the antelope are grazin' an' the lonesome plovers call –
It was there that I attended The Cowboy Christmas Ball

The music was a fiddle and a lively tambourine
And a big bass viol imported by stage from Abilene
Now the room was togged out gorgeous with mistletoe an' shawls
And the candles flickered frescoes all around them airy walls
Where the women folk looked lonely and the boys looked kinda treed
'Till the leader commenced a-yellin': "Hey, boys, let's all stampede"
And the music started sighin' and a-wailin' through the hall
As a kind of introduction to The Cowboy Christmas Ball

The leader was a feller that come from Swenson's Ranch
Yup, they called him Windy Bill from Little Deadman's Branch
When he commenced to holler: "Now fellers, stake yer pen.
Lock horns with all them heifers and rustle 'em just like men"
Salute them lovely critters, now swing 'em an' let 'em go,
And climb the grapevine round an' round, now hands all do-ce-do.
You, mavericks, join the roundup, jes' skip the waterfall
Boy, it was gettin' active at The Cowboy Christmas Ball

'Boys were tolerable skittish, an' the ladies powerful neat
That ol' bass violin music made us jumpin' with both feet
That wailin' frisky fiddle I never will forget,
An' Windy Bill kept singin', an' I believe I hear him yet:
"Oh yes, boys, chase them squirrels, cut 'em up to the side
Doc. Hollis to the center, oh, now Cross P Charlie's bride
Purr round again yer kittens, now rope 'em. Balance, all!"
Hey, it was gettin' happy at The Cowboy Christmas Ball

The dust rose fast and furious, and we all just galloped 'round
'Till the scenery got so giddy, that Z Bar Dick went down
We buckled to our partners an' told 'em to hold on,
And shook our hoofs like lightening until the early dawn
Don't tell me 'bout cotillions, or polkas, no, sir-'ee!
That whirl in Anson City, it takes the cake from me
Oh, Bill, I won't forget you and I often will recall
That lively gaited soiree called The Cowboy Christmas Ball

Oh, no, I won't forget it, The Cowboy Christmas Ball!