The fire it stands a blazing wick, the smoke it pours out honey thick
Down in the lonesome draw, the moon's all snared in midnight's jaws
The Kingdom of the great prairie, it's home to you and home to me
Born in waiting, hem and haw, shattered like ol' Dempsey's jaw.

The Railroad men go pushing west, a scar laid out on mother's breast
What brings liquor and what brings gold, bears the young and saves the old
It's a short time here and a long time gone, the workmen sing the people's song
Down in the lonesome draw, the sun it bakes the rawhide raw

If you don't like Dodge you can always go to Abilene
I hear the gettin's plenty and the grass is always green
Or you could always head to Kansas City where they pave all of their roads
But the vices flow like the Ohio and the Governor's on parole

My heart lies on a high plateau, the Texas bull stands lowing low
River's meant to separate but it just unites the Border state
No one still can understand what life is like int he Border land
And here's to the great expanse, where everyday is a poisonous dance