D                 G
While I was out a-ridin'
     D                               A
The grave yard shift, midnight 'til dawn
     G        A           D       Bm
The moon was bright as a readin' light
       A             G               D     D7
For a letter from an old friend back home.

D7
And he asked me
G           A             D
Why do you ride for your money
        G          A              D
Tell me why do you rope for short pay
           G         A
You ain't gettin' nowhere
            D           G  G/F# Em
And you're losin' your sha-a-a-are
          A           G         D
Boy, you must-a gone crazy out there.

[Verse 2]
         D                     G
He said last night I ran onto Jenny
       D                      A
She's married and has a good life
         G               A
Boy you sure missed the track
          D         Bm
When you never come back
           A          G           D    D7
She's the perfect professional's wife.

D7
And she asked me
G            A            D
Why does he ride for his money
            G            A              D
And tell me why does he rope for short pay
          G         A
He ain't gettin' nowhere
          D          G G/F# Em
And he's losin' his sha-a-a-are
    A            G         D     D7
He must've gone crazy out there.

[Chorus]
D7           G     A        D        Bm
But they've never seen the Northern Lights
 G            A           D
Never seen a hawk on the wing
        G           A             D       G G/F# Em
They've never seen spring hit the Great Divi-i-i-ide
            A               G           D
And they've never heard old camp cookie sing.

[Verse 3]
D                              G
Well I read up the last of my letter
D                            A
Tore off the stamp for Black Jim.
      G         A       D       Bm
When Billy rode up to relieve me
         A            G             D       D7
He just looked at my letter and he grinned.

D7
And he said
G            A              D
Why do they ride for their money
        G            A              D
Tell me why do they rope for short pay
            G         A
They ain't gettin' nowhere
             D            G G/F# Em
And they're losin' their sha-a-a-are
           A            G        D     D7
Yeah, they all must be crazy out there.

[Chorus]
D7           G     A        D        Bm
But they've never seen the Northern Lights
         G            A           D
They've never seen a hawk on the wing
         G          A             D       G G/F# Em
They've never seen spring hit the Great Divi-i-ide
             A               G            D
And they've never heard old camp cookie sing.

[OUTRO]
G D A D
G D A D