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