In the lonely shack
By the railroad track
I spent my younger days
And I guess the sound
Of the outward bound
Made me a slave
To my wanderin' ways.

And the wayward wind
Is a restless wind
A restless wind
That yearns to wander
And I was born
The next of kin
The next of kin
To the wayward wind.

Oh, I met him down
In the border town
He vowed we'd never part
Though he tried his best
To settle down
Now I'm all alone
With a broken heart.

And the wayward wind
Is a restless wind
A restless wind
That yearns to wander
And I was born
The next of kin
The next of kin
To the wayward wind.

And the wayward wind
Is a restless wind
A restless wind
That yearns to wander
And I was born
The next of kin
The next of kin
To the wayward wind.

The next of kin
To the wayward wind.

When I was a younger man
Got lucky with a rock n roll band
Struck gold in Hollywood
All that time I knew I would
Get back to the country
Back where it all began
Get back to the country
Back in the barn again.

Now when we hit the road
Big buses and trucks unload
After the curtain falls
Load up and then we all
Get back to the country
Back where it all began
Get back to the country
Back on the road again.

When I was a younger man
Got lucky with a rock n roll band
Struck gold in Hollywood
All that time I knew I would
Get back to the country
Back where it all began
Get back to the country
Back in the barn again.

Are there any more
Real cowboys
Left out in these hills?
Will the fire hit the iron
One more time?
And will one more
Dusty pick-up
Coming rolling down the road
With a load of feed
Before the sun gets high?
Well, I hope that
Working cowboy never dies.

Not the one
That's snortin' cocaine
When the honky-tonk's all closed
But the one
That prays for more rain
Heaven knows
That the good feed
Brings the money
And the money buys the clothes
Not the diamond sequins
Shining on TV
But the kind the
Working cowboy really needs.

Are there any more
Country families
Still working hand in hand
Trying hard to stay together
And make a stand?
While the rows and rows of houses
Come creepin' up on the land
Where the cattle graze and
An old grey barn still stands
Are there any more
Real cowboys in this land?

Are there any more
Real cowboys in this land?

Once an angel
Always an angel
You're as close to heaven
As I'll ever be

It's been six years now
Since my ring
Slipped on your finger
And those years have made
A better man out of me.

Once an angel
Always an angel
You're as close to heaven
As I'll ever be.

There've been times when
I've treated you so badly
I've done things I know
You'll never understand.

But you take me back
Turn your eyes
Towards the window
Where you hide the tears
You don't want me to see.

Once an angel
Always an angel
You're as close to heaven
As I'll ever be.

Once an angel
Always an angel
You're as close to heaven
As I'll ever be.

You're as close to heaven
As I'll ever be.

Up in that new space station
Living Kennedy's dream
There was an automatic camera
Shooting elephantine.

Well the crew was relaxing
Before the video screen
Watching old re-runs
Of Mohammed Ali.

The voice of Houston callin'
Brought them back to the scene
Except the sky is fallin'
Do you know what that means?

Out on that Texas sidewalk
Through the hotel mezzanine
There walked a see-thru' hooker
To a suite with two TVs.

But by the elevator
She began to sneeze
With an attack so uncontrolled
It brought her to her knees.

And then the hotel doctor
With nurse and stethoscope
Announced the worst is over
But for her there is no hope.

Way down in South Dakota
On the Needles Highway
There's a lone red rider
On the road today.

And though his war is over
He's fightin' on anyway
Although he's seldom sober
He's drinking whisky all day.

Down in that old box canyon
Where only misfits can go
He rides with no companion
But saloon and rodeo.

Up in that new space station
Living Kennedy's dream
There's an automatic camera
Shooting elephantine.

Well the crew is relaxing
Before the video screen
Watching old re-runs
Of Mohammed Ali.

The voice of Houston callin'
Brought them back to the scene
Except the sky is fallin'
Do you know what that means?

I remember long ago
How I wondered where I'd go
While the blizzards,
Cold wind and snow
Pounded outside my window.

California sunset
Going down in the West
All the colors in the sky
Kiss another day goodbye.

Land of beauty,
Space and light
Land of promise,
Land of might
You're my home now
And it's true
California, here's to you.

California sunset
Going down in the West
All the colors in the sky
Kiss another day goodbye.

California sunset
Going down in the West
All the colors in the sky
Kiss another day goodbye.

The golden state!

Old ways,
It sure is hard
To change 'em
Come what may
It's hard to teach
A dinosaur a new trick
Lately I've been finding out
I'm set in my ways
Old ways,
Can be your ball
And chain.

Oh, I'm gonna stop that grass
And give up all this drinking
Really gonna make my life last
Clean up my whole way of living
Up until the party last night
I was a different man
But old ways
Got their way again.

The economy was getting so bad
I had to lay myself off
Well, working was a habit I had
So I kept showin' up anyway
Then one day
Things turned around
I got my back pay
Old ways
Comin' through again.

I got old ways.

Why are you growin' up so fast
My boy?
Oh, you'd better take your time.
Why are you growin' up so fast
My son?

Almost time to live your dream
My boy.
Oh, you'd better take your time.
Almost time to make some plans
My son.

Vacation gone, school is out,
Summer ends year in year out.

Oh, you'd better take your time
My boy.
I thought we had just begun.
Why are you growin' up so fast
My son?

Vacation gone, school is out,
Summer ends year in year out.

Why are you growin' up so fast
My boy?

Why are you growin' up so fast
My son?

Out on the trans-Canada highway
There was a girl
Hitchhiking with her dog
Fireflies buzzin' round her head
Like candles in the fog.

He was three miles down the road
Tryin' to stay up,
But he knew that he couldn't
She was looking
For a ride through the night
But out there, who wouldn't.

They were bound for glory
Bound for living on the edge
They were bound for each other
Like two comets heading for a bed.

She had a new way of living
New way of looking at life
He had an
'84 International and two kids
He left back home with his wife.

He was tired of
Writin' letters to himself
And living in the dark
She was open to suggestions
And some say
She had a broken heart.

He had everything he wanted
'Til it all
Turned out to be a job
One fallen asleep trucker
And a girl
Hitchhiking with her dog.

They were bound for glory
Bound for living on the edge
They were bound for each other
Like two comets heading for a bed.

She had a new way of living
New way of looking at life
He had an
'84 International and two kids
He left back home with his wife.

Out on the trans-Canada highway
The sun came climbing up the cab
By the time it hit the window
They were wakin' up
From what little sleep they had.

When that heat hit the blankets
They were looking
For love at second sight
Just starin' in each others' eyes
Findin' it in the mornin' light.

They were bound for glory
Bound for living on the edge
They were bound for each other
Like two blankets layin' on a bed.

She had a new way of living
New way of looking at life
He had an
'84 International and two kids
He left back home with his wife.

I would be feelin' so low
She'd have a new place to go
She'd take me in her arms
And show me all her charms
Until my troubles were gone.

Then when I left her behind
Never a tear could I find
Just a haunting melody
Comin' back to me
Where is the highway tonight?

Where is the highway tonight?
Where are those old days
And crazy nights?

Now the house is
All quiet and still
Coyote howls on the hill
How far did I go
Before we said hello
Where is the highway tonight?

Darlin', you'll always be mine
I'll never treat you unkind
But a haunting melody
Keeps comin' back to me
Where is the highway tonight?

Where is the highway tonight?
Where are those old days
And crazy nights?

A haunting melody
Keeps comin' back to me
Where is the highway tonight?