[Intro: instrumental: Sparse guitar: fingerpicked guitar + harmonica motif]: [Wayne: falsetto, gentle run down to baritone]: Out on the range, where the shadows play... [choir, low harmony]: "Mmm-hmm" [Verse 1: Acoustic base, banjo plucks; slow banjo joins with subtle drum brushes.: John: lead]: A real cowboy's got grit in his veins, faces the storm, never complains. Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway, takin' the reins. Talk low, talk slow, and don't say too much, that's the code we ride. [Choir: soulful interject, end of line, layered echo]: “But killin's a hell of a thing...” Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid, so wise up and stand tall. Ride through the dust, answer the call. [Choir]: “Get three coffins ready! [Choir]: "Ready now! Man down!” [Pre-Chorus: Strings join, light beat: John: softer falsetto]: It ain’t the hat, the steed, the steel, it’s how you set the load, [Choir]: “How you set the load.” When dawn steals your breath and the road won’t give no more. [Choir]: “No more” [Chorus: John: baritone: with Choir: Dominant, backing/harmony]: What makes a cowboy real, in the wide open sky? Saddle up at dawn, burnin' daylight, never ask why. Guns and glory, or shadows that lie? That's the Western way, under the eye. [Choir: rebuttal overlay, soulful growl]: “Two kinds of people, loaded guns or dig!” [Choir]: “Dig deep” [Verse 2: Harmonica wails layers, tempo nudge: John: lead runs intensify, faster tempo]: Slap some bacon on a biscuit! We're burnin' daylight, hit the trail strong. A man's gotta fight, sing his own song. [Choir]: “Everybody's got a right to be a sucker once!” [Choir]: "Once too many!" All battles fought by scared men, rather be elsewhere, but we stay. That's the heart of the fray. [Choir]: “It's a hell of a thing, killin' a man!” [Choir]: "Hell indeed!" [Bridge: John: lead: falsetto flourishes: Choir: Tighter harmonies: Slow guitar, minimal: Conversational, half-spoken sung notes: John: with Choir: Forefront echoes swells]: [John spoken/sung]: In the canyons deep, where the echoes sleep, a cowboy's soul is tried. But we ride on pride. [Choir lead, full rebuttal ad-lib layer]: “You see, in this world, those with guns rule the day! [Echo FX]: Rule... the... day...” [Choir]: “Dig your grave or fire away, no other play!” [Harmonica call: Answered by pedal steel] [Final Chorus: Harmonica layers: John: lead: baritone declarations: Choir: Rising: Big, cinematic: John + Choir in full, with added layers: Double choir, ad-libs stacking]: What makes a cowboy real, in the wide open sky? Saddle up at dawn, burnin' daylight, never ask why. Guns and glory, or shadows that lie? That's the Western way, under the eye. [Choir: three-part swell]: “Loaded or diggin', choose your side! ” [Choir]: "Side, side!" [Outro: John: soft falsetto: over dwindling guitar + Choir: Lingering hums]: The trail never ends... [Choir: Echo fade, whispered, distant]: “Or does it?” [Final chord: pedal steel bend]
