I've known many people who would've made great cowboys, artists, writers or musicians as a profession. Their path led them away from how they were wired for one good reason or another.

Lyrics

He never had a straight ridin’ job
And that’s something he often laments
But he's made ends meet for his wife and kids
And that’s one thing he cannot regret

Oh Lord can you grant him green pastures
With a wide-open range tween the ears
Of a sure footed, straight backed cow pony
Fast enough to slow down the years

He never had a straight ridin’ job
And that’s something he'll never forget
But he's good when the hay needs cutting
And better when mending the fence

He'll sit a horse when he wants to
Well maybe when he has the time
But he owns the grass that they eat on
And he'll count their heads on his time

He is one of those
The path he chose
Didn’t match the ways he was bent
Shouldn’t matter now
He's finding out
The learning of being content

He never had a straight ridin’ job
But that don’t mean he can’t pass the test
His heart is full on the wind he'll hear
He'll save a small part of the West

Words and Music by Chris Ryden – BMI 2020