Story Behind The Song

I've ridden herd at night

Song Description

Silence is interrupted by the howling of the coyotes, as the night watch rides herd, and thinks about his wife and baby and the beauty of the American plains

Lyrics

As the night watch thinks of Debbie with their plump and happy baby,

and the birds of day no longer flit and croon,

There's a chill that fills the air, and there's a hush upon the prarie,

'til the coyotes start a howlin' at the moon.



And, though no one calls it music, it can soothe a troubled heart,

like a long-time friend who understands the hurt,

or a doll who shares the fear of all the shadows on the wall,

or a mother's arms who lift you from the dirt.



For, the night watch mourns the tragedy that marred the Tuesday ride,

when a 'poke met death five-dozen years too soon--

of the kids, who'll dearly miss 'im, and the wife, he won't be kissin',

when the coyotes are a howlin' at the moon.



He remembers, too, the miracle of calves, all slipp'ry wet,

-- as their shakey legs test life beyond the womb,

as their mothers lick and nurse 'em from their bags, all filled l' burstin',

when the coyotes are a howlin' at the moon.



As the night watch rides the fringes of the herd that's bedded down,

and he senses that the sun will wake up soon,

he considers how his 'druthers might be slumb'rin' 'neath the covers,

'stead of hearin' coyotes howlin' at the moon.



As the glow of his thin stogie serves as beacon to the dogie,

he attempts an off-key (chorusof a tune,

but "America the Beautiful"'s the echo that he hears,

as the coyotes are a howlin' at the moon.