I was a cowboy on the northern range
Followed the code mister sun or rain
Spent my nights by the campfire light
Nothing with hair that I couldn't ride
I grew older sir tired and poor
Bought me a guitar and I learned me some chords
I grabbed my saddle and I headed south
There ain't no gold left in this hard town

Still something missing sir in my life
So I took an East Coast girl for my wife
She works hard does the best she can
Putting food on the table for her guitar man
Straight out of Sunday school she cries sometimes
Trying hard to love me through the smoke-filled lies but she's
Always there 'til the bars close down
There ain't no soul left in this hard town

Chorus:
Well I've stood in the doorway of this wanderlust
Settled down at the crossroads where its bank or bust
Searched the yellow pages and the one thing I've found
There ain't no hope left in this hard town
There ain't no soul left in this hard town

They told me this was like the Promised Land
But there ain't no spare change for blue-collar hands
How am I to measure mister what I'm worth
"I'm sorry son we just don't have the work."
Can't hold a job if you're holding a dream
That's what that homeless man he said to me
"Survival or betrayal is what it's all about
and there ain't a dime left in this hard town
(chorus)

Some nights I lie awake and hold her tight
See what I've done to her and apologize
Throw a prayer to the ceiling and I ask the Lord
How I ended up here with an East Coast girl
I'll tell her of a place I used to know
Long summer days and high mountain snow
I've got some good friends up there still around
And there ain't no pride left in this hard town
(chorus)



2002 Two Mule Music/BMI. All rights reserved.