top hand

the kid was tall and rangy still wet behind the ears

but he could ride and he could rope way beyond his years

he said daddy can i ride with you now that i'm sixteen

help you drive them dogies up the trail to abilene

his daddy was a mighty man a cowboy to the bone

trail boss for the j-bar z out east of san antone

he said boy don't get impatient now you've got a lot to learn

you'll get your chance to be top hand but you'll have to wait your turn

cause the trail goes on forever and the days get mighty long

if a norther starts to blowin' it can chill you to the bone

and there's rivers and there's rustlers and you've got to understand

it takes more than just a cowboy son you've got to be a man

against his daddy's wishes he left that very day

signed on with the double d to drive the chisholm trail

they were two weeks out of texas he was ridin' drag one night

when a northern started blowin' soon the herd was out of sight

the snow was falling faster and the cold wind took his breath

he knew the end was coming he was sure to freeze to death

when out of the blinding whiteness rode a tall and mighty man

he said son i was just passin' through thought you could use a hand

cause the trail goes on forever and the days get mighty long

that old north wind starts blowin' it can chill you to the bone

and son a top hand always has to do the very best he can

and i knew you were a cowboy now i know that you're a man

i knew you were a cowboy son now you've become a man