This Cowboys Hat

(album: 1959 - 1995)

Well I was sitting in a roadhouse
Having a cup to pass the time
Swapping rodeo stories
With a few old territory friend of mine
When some motorcycle riders started snickering in the back
They were poking fun at my friends hat
Well one old boy said 'Hey Tex where'd you park your horse'
My friend just turned his hat down low
But they couldn't be ignored
Then one husky fella said
'I think I'll rip that hat right off your head'
That's when my friend turned 'round and this is what he said

You'll ride a black tornado across the western sky
You'll rope an ol' blue norther and milk it 'till it's dry
Bulldog the Diamantina pin its ears down flat
Long before you take this cowboy's hat

Now this old hat is better left alone
You see it used to be my fathers
But last year he passed on
My uncle skinned the red belly black
That makes up this ol' hat band
But back in '69 he was killed in Vietnam
Now the eagle feather was given to me
By an old aboriginal friend of mine
But someone run him down somewhere
Up around that Northern Territory
And real special lady gave me this hat pin
But I don't know if I'm ever going to see her again

You'll ride a black tornado across the western sky
You'll rope an ol' blue norther and milk it 'till it's dry
Bulldog the Diamantina pin its ears down flat
Long before you take this cowboy's hat

Now if your leather jacket means to you
What this old hat means to me
Then I guess we understand each other
And we'll just let it be
But if you still think it's funny
Then you've got my back up against the wall
And if you touch my hat
Then you're gonna have to fight us all
Well right then I noticed a little sadness
In that gang leaders eyes
He turned back towards the others
And they all just shuffled on outside
But when my friend turned back towards me
I noticed his hat brim
Well it was turned up in a big old Territory grin

You'll ride a black tornado across the western sky
You'll rope an ol' blue norther and milk it 'till it's dry
Bulldog the Diamantina pin its ears down flat
Long before you take this cowboy's hat