Cowboy from Catarina

He was born on a bright day in 1908
Must've made up his mind, he just couldn't wait
The labor came on so quick and so fast
They rushed for town but she just couldn't last
He entered the world with his daddy playing doctor
A horse for a nurse maid, cattle milling about
Born in the back of his daddy's ranch wagon
And to the tools of the trade, there was never a doubt

He loved the wide open spaces the best
He looked East every morning, every evening he looked West
Loved his cowboyin' ways more than anyone knew
The cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces for you
Cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces for you

Spent whole days on horseback just exploring the country
Skipped school when he could, 'cause it kept him inside
Took his supper on the back steps so he could see the sun setting
Stood up in his stirrups to watch the sun rise
He'd ride through the draws where the rock faces whistled
Sit there amongst mesquite scrubs and the fissles
And he'd smell the white brush that the breeze carried by
And he'd thank the angels for his cowboyin' life

And he loved the wide open spaces the best
He looked East every morning, every evening he looked West
Loved his cowboyin' ways more than anyone knew
The cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces for you
Cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces for you

Second Great War called him down from his horse
They asked "Would you serve?" the answer "Of course"
So when he rode a troop ship across the great ocean wide
He fought the Axis with one thought in mind
Get back to Catarina, get back to his life
Get back to his fence lines and that south Texas sky
Get back to his cattle, his pastures, his land
The cowboy from Catarina, he wore a very deep brand

And he loved the wide open spaces the best
Looked East every morning, every evening he looked West
He loved his cowboyin' ways more than anyone knew
The cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces for you
Cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces for you

The 80's rolled around and his skin was wrinkled leather
The hearin' had faded, his balance had been better
But he could still spot a buck, three fence lines away
The cowboy from Catarina, I wonder where you are today
Are you down in the draw, where the rock faces whistle?
Are you sitting amongst the mesquite shrubs and the fissles?
Can you smell the white brush that the breeze carries by?
And are you thankin' the angels for your cowboyin' life?

'Cause you loved the wide open spaces the best
You looked East every morning, every evening you looked West
You loved your cowboyin' ways more than anyone knew
Cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces for you
Cowboy from Catarina, it's open spaces
It's wide open spaces for you