While I was out a-ridin' The graveyard shift, midnight 'til dawn The moon was bright as a readin' light For a letter from an old friend back home He asked me, why do you ride for your money And why do you rope for short pay You ain't gettin' nowhere And you're losin' your share Lord, you must have gone crazy out there Last night I ran on to Jenny She's married and she has a good life You sure missed the track When you never come back She's the perfect professional's wife She asked me, why do you ride for your money And why do you rope for short pay You ain't gettin' nowhere And you're losin' your share Lord, you must have gone crazy out there And they've never seen the Northern Lights They've never seen a hawk on the wing They've never seen the spring hit the Great Divide No, they've never heard ole' camp cookie sing Well I read up the last of my letter I tore off the stamp for black Jim When Billy rode up to relieve me He looked at my letter then he grinned He asked me, why do you ride for your money And why do you rope for short pay You ain't gettin' nowhere And you're losin' your share Lord, you must have gone crazy out there Then they've never seen the Northern Lights Never seen a hawk on the wing They've never seen the spring hit the Great Divide Lord, they've never heard ole' camp cookie sing