Once I heard a Hobo, singing by the tie-trail
Squatting by the red rail rusty with the dew
Singing of the firelight, singing of the high-trail
And singing to the morning for the dawn broke through
Saddle, rail, or pack-sack, any way you take it
Choose a pal and try him, on your own is best
Sand, clay, or cinders, any way you make it
Looking for tomorrow down the long road West
Far across the ranges, over where the sea swings
Battering the raw ledge, booming up the sand
There I heard a sailor telling what the sea sings
Sings to every sailor as he longs for land
When you've saved your cash, when you've done your hitch, sir
Holystone and hardtack, buckle to the test
When you're back in port, your feet begin to itch, sir
Think about tomorrow and the long road West
Slowly came a cowboy riding round the night-herd
And silver was the starlight, slender was the moon
Then I heard him singing, lonely as a night-bird
His pony's head a-nodding to his strange little tune
Wind, rain and sunshine, every kind of weather
Sweating on the mesa, freezing on the crest
And me and just my shadow, jogging on together
Jogging on together down that long road West
Now lazy was the cool stream slipping through the far light
And shadowing the buckthorn high along the hill
And when I heard a bird sing softly in the starlight
And singing in the evening when the trees were still
Valley, range, and high trail, mesa, bu*te and river
Sun across the lowlands, rolling down to rest
And there'll always be a skyline, running on forever
Running on forever, down the long road West