The Strand

(album: Carry Me Back - 1973)

To every silver cowboy who rode the silver screen
Do you remember riding through the strand
And do you remember me I'm the front row kid
Who galloped right behind you till the end

And saved your life so often by calling out your name
When it looked like Blackie had the upper hand
We saved towns and ranches in spite of threats and rain
While staying safe and dry inside the Strand

The Strand it was a fortress in the heart of town
It's marquee proudly boasted out you name
Sending out a message to youngin's all around
And each and every Saturday we came

We came to watch our hero's ride the silver screen
In hot pursuit of Blackie's outlaw band
I wish that I could walk up to that ticket booth again
And buy just one more ticket to the Strand

But our town is changing and it seems we need
A parking lot to help our town expand
Today I learned a lesson, like you I must be brave
Today I learned their tareing down the Strand

I wish that there was something fellow's we could do
One more effort before we disband
We've saved those towns and ranches
And now before we're through
Seems we ought to try to save the Strand

But they say it's over and I guess it's true
They'll park their cars where horses used to stand
I'll try to use the courage that I learned from you
Every time I think about the Strand

And If I could live life over there's much that I would change
And possibly I'd be a different man
I'd follow many different trails but one would stay the same
And that's the one that led me to the Strand
That happy trail that led me to the Strand