Night Riders Lament

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

Chorus
    G
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' no where
           D           G G/F# Em
And you're losin' your shaaaaare
         A                        D
Boy, you must have gone crazy out there.

D                                  G
He tells me last night I run on to Jenny
     D                       A
She's married and has a good life
        G                                 D
Ah you sure missed the track   when you never come back
             A                    D
She's the perfect professional's wife.
Chorus
   G
And she asked me
G         A               D
Why does he ride for his money?
  G        A              D
why does he rope for short pay?
         G        A
He ain't gettin' no where
           D             G G/F# Em
And he's losin' his       shaaaaare
    A                         D
 He must have gone crazy out there.

BRIDGE
    G            A       D
But then they've never seen the Northern Lights
        G     A           D
They've never seen the hawk on the wing
        G      A       D                    G  G/F# Em
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Diviiiiide
        A                           D
They've never heard ole camp cookie sing.

(INST break just repeat bridge)

D                               G
Well, I read up the last of my letter
D                             A
I tore off the stamp for Black Jim
    G                   D
When Billy rode up to relieve me
          A                      D
He just looked at my letter and grinned.

SLOW Chorus
   G
He said now
  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' no where
           D               G  G/F#   Em
And they're losin' their    shaaaaaare
     A                         D
Son, they all must be crazy out there.

BRIDGE
      G        A       D
Because they've never seen the Northern Lights
        G     A         D
They've never seen the hawk on the wing
  G           A        D                  G G/F# Em
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Divide
        A                   D
 Ahh- they've never heard ole camp cookie sing.