This Cowboy's Hat

Well, there's always been groups of people that never could see eye to eye

And I always thought if they ever had a chance to sit down and talk face-to-face

They might realize they got a lot in common

Well, I was sittin' in a coffee shop, just having a cup to pass the time

Swappin' rodeo stories with this old cowboy friend of mine

When some motorcycle riders startin snickerin' in the back

They started pokin' fun at my friend's hat

Now, one ol' boy said "Hey, Tex, where'd ya park your horse?"

My friend just pulled his hat down low, but they couldnt be ignored

One husky fella said, "I think I'll rip that hat right off your head"

Thats when my friend turned around, and this is what he said

"You'll ride a black tornado 'crossed a Western sky

Rope an ol' Blue Northern, and milk it 'till it's dry

Bulldog the Mississippi, pin it's ears down flat

Long before you take this cowboy's hat"

Now, partner, this ol' hats better left alone

See, it used to be my daddy's, but last year he passed on

My nephew skinned the rattler that makes up this old hat band

But, back in '69 he died in Vietnam

Now, the eagle feather was given to me by an Indian friend of mine

But, someone ran him down somewhere around that Arizona line

And a real special lady gave me this hat pin

But, I dont know if I'll ever see her again

"You'll ride a black tornado 'crossed a Western sky

Rope an ol' Blue Northern, and milk it 'till it's dry

Bulldog the Mississippi, pin it's ears down flat

Long before you take this cowboy's hat"

Now, if your leather jacket means to you what this hat means to me

Then I guess we understand each other, and we'll just let it be

But, if you still think it's funny, man, you got my back up against the wall

And if you touch my hat, you're gonna have to fight us all

Well, right then, I caught a little sadness in that gangleader's eyes

And he turned back to the others, and they all just kinda shuffled on outside

But, when my friend turned back towards me, I noticed his ol' hat brim

Well, it was turned up in a big ol' Texas grin

"You'll ride a black tornado 'crossed a Western sky

Rope an ol' Blue Northern, and milk it 'till it's dry

Bulldog the Mississippi, pin it's ears down flat

Long before you take this cowboy's hat"