The childhood memories I treasure the most I suppose Were the Saturday afternoons spent at the town's picture show 'Cause all day I'd work in the fields but at night I would dream Of seeing my hero go ridin' across the big screen Saturday mornings I'd walk twenty miles or more And twelve o'clock noon found me first one in line at the door 'Cause all week I'd work but today I would fulfill my dream And I'd see Gene Autry go ridin' across the big screen The man in the white cowboy hat was a hero to me He was then, he is now, and I guess he always will be But time takes away many things but it can't take a dream And I can still see him go ridin' across the big screen When as a kid from our shack on the desert I'd roam My daddy would whip me 'cause I'd never be around home But mom understood me I know, 'cause she'd smile when I'd say Gene Autry and I had been rounding up outlaws all day The man in the white cowboy hat is a hero to me He was then, he is now, and I guess he always will be And every so often I go back in time and I dream Of seeing my hero go ridin' across the big screen The man in the white cowboy hat is a hero to me And he was then, he is now, and I guess he always will be And every so often I go back in time and I dream Of seeing Gene Autry go ridin' across the big screen Whoopi-ti-yay-o, rockin' to and fro Back in the saddle again Whoopi-ti-yay-a, I know my way Back in the saddle again