The Ride

I was six years old, my brother was ten
One July day came runnin' in
Seen a ferris wheel at the edge of town
So, of course, we headed on down

Well, it took us an hour to walk that far
Carryin' our fortune in a Mason jar
It was all pretty sad, a cheap county fair
With a few old rides but there was ponies there

Well, the ponies stunk and the air was still
In that dusty circle behind the ferris wheel
This old guy smellin' of smoke and rum
Swung me up and sat me down on one

Well, I'd never rode a horse but I'd seen it done
Cowboy movies made it look like fun
This old man whispered a few soft words
It was the best advice I've ever heard

He said, "Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky
And live like you ain't afraid to die
And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride"

I went up a kid with shakin' hands
But I came down a full grown man
It was like he'd cast some voodoo spell
Things were different for me now, I could tell

'Cause whenever troubles come wanderin' in
His rhyme would pop in my head again
And somehow I rode through the needles and nails
Brambles and thorns that life entails

He said, "Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky
And live like you ain't afraid to die
And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride"

Well, I know some day, farther down the road
I'll come to the edge of the great unknown
There'll stand a black horse riderless
And I wonder if I'm ready for this

So I'll saddle him up and he'll switch his tail
And I'll tip my hat and bid farewell
And lift my song into the air
That I learned at that dusty fair

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky
And live like you ain't afraid to die
And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride
Now, don't be scared, just enjoy your ride