Rocky, I'm writing you this letter
I'm in the Sunset Home
My grandkids went and put me here
They got everything I own
I know you're out in Albuquerque
I saw Freddie just last week
He said your eyesight's failing you
And your mouth's too sore to speak
Rocky, I've been thinking lately
How we never got along
How mostly I was right
And sometimes I was wrong
Remember that horse we bought in Tulsa
It was afraid of the startin' gun
You'd fill his ears full of cotton
And all the money that we won
Rocky, you sure were a good cowboy
You did sure could rope and ride
I always told you not to chew that goddamned tobacco
You coulda listened just one time
They don't show many Westerns on TV here
They took away my gun
But I still got that Western saddle
The one we stole from Freddie's son
Rocky, I hear that they're feeding you
And it sure do make me sad
I never thought in all my days
You'd ever end up like that
Remember that trailer in Minnesota
That axle broke right in two
We wired it together with four-by-fours
And we drove the whole night through
Rocky, you sure were a good cowboy
You did sure could rope and ride
I always told you not to chew that goddamned tobacco
You coulda listened just one time
So, Rocky, I'll just sign off now
I've been up most of the night
I just wanted to tell you when I heard the news
It damned near made me cry
Remember that gun we bought in Reno
You shot Freddie right through the hand
You wrapped it up in your best Western shirt
Gave him all the money you had
Rocky, you sure were a good cowboy
You did sure could rope and ride
I always told you not to chew that goddamned tobacco
You coulda listened just one time
You coulda listened just one time