I was sitting in a coffee shop
having a cup, passing time,
with this old cowboy friend of mine,
when some motorcycle rider
started snickering in the back
and started poking fun at my
One old boy said, hey Tex,
where'd you park your horse?
My friend just pulled his hat down low,
but they couldn't be ignored.
maybe I'll just rip that hat
And that's when my friend turned around and said,
You'll ride a black tornado
across the western skies,
You'll rope an old blue northern
and milk it till it's dry
and pin its ears down flat
this old hat is better left alone
It used to be my daddy's hat,
but last year he passed on
My nephew skinned the rattler
that makes up the hat band
But in 69 he died in Vietnam
And I got this eagle feather
From an Indian friend of mine
Close to the Arizona line
And I don't know if I'll ever
You'll ride a black tornado
You'll rope an old blue northern
and they'll get till it's dry
and pin its ears down flat
Now if your leather jacket means to you
what this old hat means to me
Then we understand each other,
But if you still think it's funny
And with my back against the wall
and you'll have to fight us all
Well, I caught a little sadness
in that gang leader's eyes
Then he turned back to the others,
and they walked on outside
And when my friend turned back toward me
I noticed that his hat brim
You'll ride a black tornado
You'll rope an old blue northern,
and milk it till it's dry
and pin its ears down flat
Long before you'll take this
