Westbound ’76

One piano is pounding in the saloon, Whiskey is flowing, smoke fills the room. The bartender is grinning, the cowboys are drinking, Cards on the table, the women are swinging! Hey, hey, pretty girls and whiskey tonight, Eighteen seventy-six, we’re feeling alright! The piano’s racing, boots move on the floor, Raise up your glass, then raise it once more! Lanterns are glowing, the doors swing wide, Spurs on the boards, there’s laughter and pride. The gambler is bluffing, the dealer is smiling, The piano keeps pounding, the night is beguiling. Hey, hey, pretty girls and whiskey tonight, Eighteen seventy-six, we’re feeling alright! The piano’s racing, boots move on the floor, Raise up your glass, then raise it once more! Ladies in red with a wink and a sway, We’re dancing till dawn, we’re here to stay!

Morning smoke hangs over the track, Coal in the fire, our bags are packed. The station bell rings, the wheels start to roll, Out through the prairie with a restless soul. Telegraph poles run beside the line, Small frontier depots appear one at a time. Water and coal, then back on the track, The prairie rolls on and we don’t look back. Westward we go, down the iron line, Black smoke is rising, leaving towns behind. Through every station, through valley and plain, Nothing can stop this westbound train! Riders appear on a ridge ahead, Watching our train as the prairie spreads. Nobody speaks as we follow the line, They fade in the distance, a mile at a time. A depot, a water tank, town up ahead, Mail bags are loaded as daylight turns red. Coal for the fire, the station bell rings, The whistle blows loud and the engine pulls out. Westward we go, down the iron line, Black smoke is rising, leaving towns behind. Through every station, through valley and plain, Nothing can stop this westbound train! The towns fall behind and the mountains still grow, Where this track takes us, nobody knows. The wheels keep on rolling… Westward we go!

I step off the train at Green River town, I watch the train roll west as the sun goes down. A letter in my pocket, worn and old, The way to Silver Ridge is what I’m told. At first light I saddle and ride, Water and cartridges packed by my side. I follow the signs toward open land, Leaving Green River with reins in my hand. Beyond the rails, I ride alone, Following a trail through lands unknown. Silver Ridge is somewhere ahead, I follow the words that the old letter said. My horse keeps moving through the vale, The sun is beating down on a country so pale. Still many miles are lying ahead, So I have to ride through canyons of dusty red. Evening shadows crawl across the ground, A cold wind rises without a sound. Far in the distance, a few lights appear, Silver Ridge at last — I know I am near. Beyond the rails, I ride alone, Following a trail through lands unknown. Silver Ridge is somewhere ahead, I follow the words that the old letter said.

I ride into town as the daylight fades, Past wooden storefronts and dusty lanes. Miners head home from a long day's work, While lanterns glow through the evening dirt. I tie up my horse by the old saloon, The piano is playing an old-time tune. I step through the door and look around, Searching for a face that can't be found. Silver Ridge, beneath the fading light, Smoke from the mines rises into the night. I've come this far to find what's true, Someone in this town must have a clue. I ask the bartender if he's heard my brother's name, He looks at me and says, "I know the man who came." "He stayed here for a while, then disappeared one day," He turns back to his bottles, with nothing more to say. I ask where he went, but the bartender turns away, "Some things are better left alone," I hear him say. A stranger in the corner slowly raises his head, "Come back tomorrow, if you want to know," he said. Silver Ridge, beneath the fading light, Smoke from the mines rises into the night. I've come this far to find what's true, Someone in this town must have a clue.

The morning sun burns red and bright, I barely slept a wink last night. Walking to the saloon across the square, A group of armed men is standing there. One man steps out and blocks my way, "You're coming with us, no more delay!" He holds a wanted poster in the air, I see my face — how'd it get there? Wanted by sundown, nowhere to hide, A price on my head, but I don't know why. Something happened to my brother, that's clear, I won't give up till the truth appears. I turn for my horse, but the sheriff calls, "Stop right there!" His warning falls. I swing in the saddle and grab the reins, Then I flee through the dust of the narrow lanes. Hooves thunder hard along the trail, The sheriff's men are on my tail. I ride for the hills as bullets fly, But I won't stop until I know why. Wanted by sundown, nowhere to hide, A price on my head, but I don't know why. Something happened to my brother, that's clear, I won't give up till the truth appears.

They caught me riding down the trail, And dragged me back to the county jail. The sheriff said, "You're wanted for fraud!" I shook my head, "You've got the wrong man, by God!" The stranger came to see me there, He pulled himself a wooden chair. "I won your brother's bet that night, He had two days to make things right." They say I'm guilty of a crime, But I've been innocent all this time. They see my brother when they look at me, And keep me locked where I shouldn't be. "Your brother owns a silver claim, He found rich ore beneath the plain. He planned to sell it, pay his due, But seven days have passed, not two." "The foreman comes to town each week, He might have answers that you seek. That's why I asked you back that day, But the sheriff's men got in your way." They say I'm guilty of a crime, But I've been innocent all this time. They see my brother when they look at me, And keep me locked where I shouldn't be. I heard a voice outside my cell, A voice I knew so very well. My brother stepped into the light, With silver cash to set things right. "I should have written long ago, But had no silver then to show. I searched for silver day and night, Too proud to write till things went right." They say I'm guilty of a crime, But I've been innocent all this time. They see my brother when they look at me, And keep me locked where I shouldn't be. He paid the debt, they turned the key, The sheriff finally set me free. We walked outside into the sun, Our days apart were finally done. They said I was guilty of a crime, But I'd been innocent all that time. They saw my brother when they looked at me, And kept me locked where I shouldn't be.

My brother introduced me to his lady fair, With sparkling eyes and golden hair. They dreamed of a ranch beneath the sky, Where they could live as years went by. He says, "I'll lease my silver mine, My trusted foreman will do fine. In Oregon, we want to make a start, And build the ranch with all our heart." He says, "Come west and ride with me, There's so much more for us to see. We've been apart for far too long, Together now, where we belong." I say, "I'm glad to have you near, There's nothing left for me to fear. I'll ride beside you all the way, And leave this town with you today." Ride on, ride on, we're heading west, Three riders on a brand-new quest. Ride on, ride on, through wind and rain, Together we'll ride across the plain. At break of dawn, we ride away, Silver Ridge fades in the light of day. His sweetheart smiles beneath the sun, Three riders west, our journey's begun. Dark clouds roll in across the sky, The wind picks up, the dust flies high. The thunder roars, the lightning glows, And rain comes down in heavy flows. Ride on, ride on, we're heading west, Three riders on a brand-new quest. Ride on, ride on, through wind and rain, Together we'll ride across the plain. The rain beats hard, we barely see, My brother calls, "Stay close to me!" A ranch house glows against the night, We ride toward its welcome light. Ride on, ride on, we're heading west, Three riders on a brand-new quest. Ride on, ride on, through wind and rain, Together we'll ride across the plain.

We reach the ranch in a raging storm, And hope to find a place that's warm. We knock upon the ranch house door, A lovely young woman says, "Come in, there's room for more." We gather by the old stone fireplace, We finally found a resting place. She brings us coffee, warm and strong, And asks how far we've ridden along. The fire burns, its flames so bright, We found some shelter for the night. She smiles at me across the room, Her eyes shine brighter than the moon. I tell her how we traveled west, And how this journey put us to the test. She listens closely as the hours go by, Then turns to me and asks, "Won't you stay for a while?" The fire burns, its flames so bright, We found some shelter for the night. She smiles at me across the room, Her eyes shine brighter than the moon. The storm has passed, the morning's bright, The sun comes up after the night. My brother says, "We'll soon be on our way," But something in my heart wants me to stay. The fire burns, its flames so bright, We found some shelter for the night. She smiles at me across the room, Her eyes shine brighter than the moon.

The morning sun shines on the land, I take my brother by the hand. I say, "I think I've found my place, Right here beside her smiling face." My brother smiles and says, "That's fine, You've found your dream, and I'll find mine. We'll ride to Oregon, my love and me, And build our ranch where we'll be free." Where the west goes on, beneath the open sky, Where eagles spread their wings and fly. We found our love, yours and mine, Our future will be fine. We shake our hands before he goes, And wish each other well, God knows. He says, "You know where I will be, And there's always room for you with me." Where the west goes on, beneath the open sky, Where eagles spread their wings and fly. We found our love, yours and mine, Our future will be fine. I watch them ride into the setting sun, Their journey west has just begun. She comes to me and takes my hand, Together we'll make a life on this land. Where the west goes on, beneath the open sky, Where eagles spread their wings and fly. We found our love, yours and mine, Our future will be fine.