D5                G5 
While I was out a ridin' 
  D5                  A5 
 Grave yard shift, midnight til dawn 
    G5                 D5 
The moon was as bright as a readin' light 
A5                            D5  
For a letter from an old friend back home. 

Chorus 
    G5 
And he asked me 
G5         A5              D5 
Why do you ride for your money? 
  G5         A5           D5 
Tell me why do you rope for short pay? 
          G5         A5 
You ain't gettin' no where 
           D5           G5 G5 E5 
And you're losin' your shaaaaare 
         A5                        D5                     
Boy, you must have gone crazy out there. 


D5                                  G5 
He tells me last night I run on to Jenny 
     D5                       A5 
She's married and has a good life 
        G5                                 D5                   
Ah you sure missed the track   when you never come back  
             A5                    D5 
She's the perfect professional's wife. 

Chorus 
   G5 
And she asked me 
G5         A5               D5 
Why does he ride for his money? 
  G5        A5              D5 
why does he rope for short pay? 
         G5        A5 
He ain't gettin' no where 
           D5             G5 G5 E5     
And he?s losin' his       shaaaaare 
    A5                         D5 
 He must have gone crazy out there. 

BRIDGE 
    G5            A5       D5 
But then they've never seen the Northern Lights 
        G5     A5           D5 
They've never seen the hawk on the wing 
        G5      A5       D5                    G5  G5 E5 
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Diviiiiide 
        A5                           D5 
They've never heard ole camp cookie sing. 

(INST break just repeat bridge) 


D5                               G5 
Well, I read up the last of my letter 
D5                             A5 
I tore off the stamp for Black Jim 
    G5                   D5 
When Billy rode up to relieve me  
          A5                      D5 
He just looked at my letter and grinned. 

SLOW Chorus 
   G5 
He said now 
  G5         A5               D5 
 Why do they ride for their money? 
  G5                A5              D5 
Tell me why do they rope for short pay? 
          G5            A5 
They ain't gettin' no where          
           D5               G5  G5   E5 
And they're losin' their    shaaaaaare 
     A5                         D5 
Son, they all must be crazy out there. 

BRIDGE 
      G5        A5       D5 
Because they've never seen the Northern Lights 
        G5     A5         D5 
They've never seen the hawk on the wing 
  G5           A5        D5                  G5 G5 E5 
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Divide 
        A5                   D5 
 Ahh- they've never heard ole camp cookie sing. 

Yodel chords 
G5  D5   A5  D5 

G5   D5  A5   D5 

E5       A5  7        D5