Forty a Month and Found (George Fehr) When the sun pops over the mesa's top And bakes the plains below And it's so damn hot that the cattle drop And sweat and pant and blow Then the cowhand rides the holes and creeks Over the burning ground With the sweat a-pourin' down his cheeks For forty a month and found When the snow blows down from the mesa's rim And the barbed wire hums in the gale And the cattle drift into every dip And the storm wipes out their trail Then the cowhand rides the draws and fence And circles each drifted mound Freezin', the fool ain't got no sense For forty a month and found When the guns flash out in a midnight raid And the wild herd makes a run And the cattle bawl in their mad parade And the whole world comes undone Then the cowhand rides with his knees clamped tight Crazy and hellward bound Fightin', the fool sure loves a fight For forty a month and found Now I wonder when all the work is through And the last herd's bedded down What a poor cowhand will find to do While he waits for his harp and his crown Will he herd the moon and the stars at night Keepin' them heaven bound And gathered so they'll keep shinin' bright For forty a month and found Words by George Fehr. Tune from another cowboy song - 'His Trademarks'. Source: transcribed from Slim Critchlow 'Cowboy Songs: Crooked Trail to Holbrook' Arhoolie CD 479. PS oct00
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!