Strawberry Roan (Album Version) - Michael Martin Murphey

I was hanging round town, just spending my time

Being out of a job and not earning a dime

A fellow walks up, and he says, "I suppose

You're a bronc rider, from the looks of your clothes"

"Well, you figured me right, and I'm a good one, I claim

Would you happen to have any outlaws to tame?"

He says, "I've got one and a good one to buck

At throwing top riders, he's had lots of luck"

He says this here's one pony that's never been rode

And the man that gets on him is bound to get throwed

I got all heat up and I asked what he'd pay

To ride this old nag for a couple of days

Well, he offered me ten, and I says, "I'm your man

For the bronc isn't living that I couldn't fan"

He says, "Get your saddle, I'll give you the chance"

So we hopped in his buckboard and rode to his ranch

Out in the horse corral, standing alone

Is an old cavallo, a strawberry roan

Little pin ears that touch at the tip

A big 44 brand upon his left hip

He was spavined all round, and he had pigeon toes

Little pig eyes and a big roman nose

U-necked and old, with a long lower jaw

You could tell at a glance he's a regular outlaw

Well, I buckle on my spurs, and I'm sure feeling fine

I pull down my hat and I pick up my twine

Throw my loop on him and well I know then

Before he gets rode, I'll sure earn my ten

I get the blinds on him with a terrible fight

Next comes the saddle, and I cinch him up tight

Then I step on him and raise up the blinds

"Get out of the way, boys, he's bound to unwind"

Well, I threw him his head, and I'll say he unwound

He seemed to quit living down here on the ground

Went up in the east and come down in the west

I'm sitting up on him and doing my best

He sure was a frog-walker, he heaved a big sigh

He only lacked wings for to be on the fly

Turned his old belly right up to the sun

He sure was a sunfishing son of a gun

He's about the worst bucker I've seen on the range

He could turn on a nickle and give you some change

I lost both my stirrups and also my hat

I'm reaching for leather and blind as a bat

He come down on all fours, and he went up on high

And he left me a-spinning up there in the sky

Turned over twice and I come down to the earth

And I lit into cussing the day of his birth

Now I know there's ponies that I cannot ride

There's some of them living, they haven't all died

But I'll bet my money there's no man alive

Who can stay with old Strawberry when he makes his high dive