This Cowboy’s Hat

[Intro: Chris LeDoux]
Well, there's always been groups of people that never could see eye-to-eye
But I always thought if they ever had a chance to sit down and talk face to face, they might realize they got a lot in common

[Verse 1: Ned LeDoux]
Well, I was sitting in a coffee shop, just having a cup to pass the time
Swapping rodeo stories with this old cowboy friend o' mine
When some motorcycle riders started snickerin' in the back
And started pokin' fun at my friend's hat
One old boy said, "Hey Tex, where'd you park your horse?"
My friend just pulled his hat down low, but they couldn't be ignored
One husky fellow said "I think I'll rip that hat right off your head"
That's when my friend turned around, and this is what he said

[Chorus: Chase Rice]
"You'll ride a black tornado 'cross the western sky
And rope an old Blue Northern, and milk it 'til it's dry
Bulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flat
Long before you take this cowboy's hat"

[Verse 2: Ned LeDoux]
Now, partner, this old hat is better left alone
You see it used to be my daddy's, but last year he passed on
My nephew skinned the rattler that makes up this old hatband
And back in '69 he died in Vietnam
Now, the eagle feather was given to me by an Indian friend of mine
But somebody ran him down, somewhere around that Arizona line
And a real special lady gave me this hat pin
But I don't know if I'll ever see her again

[Chorus: Chase Rice]
"You'll ride a black tornado 'cross the western sky
And rope an old Blue Northern, and milk it 'til it's dry
Bulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flat
Long before you take this cowboy's hat"

[Verse 3: Ned LeDoux]
"Now, if that old leather jacket means to you what this hat means to me
Well, I guess we understand each other, and we'll just let it be
But if you still think it's funny, man, you've got my back up against the wall
And if you touch my hat, you're gonna have to fight us all"
Right then I caught a little sadness in that gang leader's eyes
And he turned back to the others and they all just kinda shuffled on outside
But when my friend turned back toward me, I noticed his old hat brim
It was turned up in a big old Texas grin

[Chorus: Chase Rice]
"You'll ride a black tornado 'cross the western sky
And rope an old Blue Northern, and milk it 'til it's dry
Bulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flat
Long before you take this cowboy's hat"