Prairie Hotel Parachilna - John Williamson

Trying to remember what my daddy said Before too much time took away his head He said we're going back and I'll show you what I'm talking about Going back to Cypress River, back to the old farmhouse (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Trying to remember what Daddy said) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) I tried to tell the people but they never heard a word I say They say there's nothing out there but wheat fields anyway Just a farmer's wife hanging laundry in her back yard Out on the prairie where the winds blow long and hard (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Trying to remember what Daddy said) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) Late at night, lights dancing in the northern sky Like the Indian spirits trying to show me how to fly You can see into the future but it may be a mirage Like a new car sitting there in your old garage (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Trying to remember what Daddy said) There's a place on the prairie where evil and goodness play Daddy told me all about it but I don't remember what he said It might be afternoon and it might be the dead of night But you'll know when you see it 'cause it sure is a hell of a sight (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) Prairie wind blowing through my head (Prairie wind blowing through my head) Trying to remember what Daddy said (Prairie wind blowing through my head) Before too much time took away his head (Prairie wind blowing through my head) He said we're going back and I'll show you what I'm talking about (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) Going back to Cypress River, back to the old farmhouse (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Prairie wind blowing through my head) (Trying to remember what Daddy said) (Prairie wind blowing through my head)...

"Talkin' Prairie Boy" Buddy's old man is back on the booze He's swinging a driver at a big bull moose That keeps getting on the goddamn property Or so he says Cigarettes are expensive and whiskey ain't cheap And winters are bitter, but the summers are sweet And you can get some modestly priced smokes over at the Rez If you're so inclined Most of my time's spent in a big blue van Just traveling the country with a five-piece band Pick a little for the folks and sing when I can Granted, I'm sober And other days are for meant for chorin' Just workin' at the ranch to stave off boredom And keeping the calves from finding new ways to keel over Just living the dream I was cooling my heels down in Tennessee Post 82, some buddies and me And we were shooting the shit 'till we ran out of ammunition Some dude overheard from across the room And instead of minding his own, he'd just as soon Sit down next to us and join in on the conversation Brought over some kinda beer Something called a I-P-A East Nashville kid in a cowboy hat And he couldn't tell a shoe lace from a lariat And the furthest West he'd ever been is Ohio He's talking at me, says he's looking for work And he don't mind getting some dirt on his shirt And would I be so kind as to hire him on, well, oh, my oh Surprised he didn't bring a resume He said but if you're doing fence, then I ain't for hire And if you're doing hay, then frankly, I wouldn't conspire To ask me about doing that either I said, "What are ya good for?" And he said, "Plenty" I could see this conversation wasn't going any which way And figured I'd do well just to leave here "So long buddy" "You can keep your IPAs" Yeah, this city life has sure got me tired And it's hard for a prairie boy to admire all the Concrete and the towering skyscrapers So just as soon as I'm able to find my hat I believe I'll leave and head on back home Where the tallest buildings are all grain elevators Long gone to Saskatchewan Yeah, I'm outta this place and bound for the farm And I'm not taking no greenhorn along I have a hard enough time just keeping track of myself But if you're down in Nashville, and you're trying to look cool But ya can't tell a pretty palomino from a mule Take my advice and leave the buckaroo hat on the shelf

Well old Bob hasn't got much but he values his boots He values the time he spends growin' flowers He still loves his babies that grew to be men He recalls all the days 'n' nights and the hours When he and his woman worked on the land In the heat and the dry, in the cold and the wet He still picks her a rose and his old heart still races She's still the most beautiful girl that he's met And you ask is he happy... and you ask is he happy...? He's got wrinkles from smiling, he feels lucky and free And he knows what it means to live here in the sunshine He's got wrinkles... He walks with Amelia down to the store With a little cane basket for the bread and the daily Sun Still hand in hand like babes in the meadows And young faces turn Love is so beautiful, it can be so deep And a man is a king when he has his own princess Bob wears no crown, no long flowing robe But there in his mind he still rides on his black stallion Then a cold winter came, and Bob was alone His beautiful princess had flown with the angels He faded so quickly, the man became old And the wandering dew soon covered the roses First just a cane, then a strong stick for walking Then just a chair with a grey old man dying All that he lived for was always beside him So Bob left in peace, to join his lady And you ask is he happy... and you ask is he happy...? He had wrinkles from smiling He felt lucky and free And he knew what it meant to live here in the sunshine He had wrinkles...