We're up in the morning at breaking of day
The chuckwagon's busy there's flapjacks in play
The herd is astir over hillside and vail,
With the night riders rounding them on to the trail
Come take up your cinches, shake out your reins
Come wake your old broncho that take in the plains
Come with your steers from the long chaparral
For the outfit is off to the railroad corral
The sun circles upwards the steers as they plod
Are pounding to powder the hot prairie sod
Just as it seems you get dizzy and sick
You'll never reach noon and the cool shady crick
Come tie up your kerchief, ply up your nag
Dry up your grumbles and try not to lag
Come drive out your steers from the long chaparral
For we're far on the road to the railroad corral
Now the afternoon shadows are starting to lean
The chuck wagon sticks in the marshy ravine
The herd scatters farther than visions can look
But you can bet all good punchers will help out the cook
Come shake out your rawhide and snake it up fair
Come break your old broncho to take in his share
Come roust out your steers from the long chaparral
For it's all in the drive to the railroad corral
Now the longest of days must reach evening at last
The hills are all climbed and the creeks are all past
The tired herd droops in the yellowing light
Let them rest if they will, for the railroad's in sight
So flap up your holster and snap up your belt
Strap up your saddle whose lap you have felt
Say goodbye to the steers in the long chaparral
For there's a town that's a trunk by the railroad corral
So flap up your holster and snap up your belt
And strap up your saddle whose lap you have felt
Say goodbye to the steers in the long chaparral
There's a town that's a trunk by the railroad corral