[Instrumental emotional long intro] [Intro] Sunrise paints the prairie gold, another day begun Coffee’s black and bitter cold, beneath the morning sun Felt the grit between my teeth, heard the coyotes cry Just another lonely soul, beneath a boundless sky Oh, the dusty roads and faded tunes, they echo in my head Stories whispered to the moons, by voices long since dead From painted deserts to the pines, the wind it carries low The bards of the Wild West, where did all their music go? [Instrumental long solo] [Verse] Oh, the bards of the Wild West, they sang a lonesome tune 'Bout drifters and desperados, beneath a silver moon With a worn-out hat and a faded vest, and a story to be told The bards of the Wild West, their hearts were brave and old Their hearts were brave and old. Oh, the bards of the dusty road, with stories in their hand Singin' tales of heartbreak, across this lonely land From painted deserts to mountain peaks, their voices softly call The bards of the Wild West, their hearts were brave and old (Their hearts were brave and old). [Instrumental long solo] [Verse 2] I saw a picture, yellowed and thin, a violin in its hand. They played for tramps, played for sin, through this weary land. No grand stage, no velvet curtain, just the glow of a campfire. Their melody felt so safe, a comfort in the snow. I met a man in Santa Fe, with eyes like faded skies He played a tune on an old banjo, that brought tears to my eyes Of a love he lost in Abilene, a lifetime far away He strummed his sorrow on the strings, 'til the light of a new day. [Instrumental long solo] [Verse 3] They say these days are fading fast, like footprints in the sand But the spirit of the untamed West still grips this weathered hand I strum my worn-out six-string low, beneath the silver moon A silent prayer for those who've gone, and those who'll follow soon Oh, the bards of the Wild West, they sang a lonesome tune Beneath the pale, indifferent moon With calloused hands and weary eyes They told their truths, no fancy lies Just grit and dust and fading light The bards of the Wild West, through the long, dark night (Oh, the bards of the Wild West) [Instrumental long solo] [Outro] They strummed their broken banjos, by the campfire's flickering light Told tales of gold and glory, and the endless, star-filled night Of cattle drives and lonely nights, and love that couldn't stay Their voices echoed through the hills, then faded far away (Just faded far away). We ain't got much, just calloused hands and tunes that fill the air But every note's a memory, a burden we can share A whispered truth, a silent prayer, beneath the desert moon We sing for those who’ve come and gone, and those who'll follow soon. [Instrumental long solo] [end]
