Close to the Land - Michael Martin Murphey

Way before the sun comes up,

Already on his second cup,

He’s looking out across the open sky.

As streaks of orange, pink, and gray

Wash over rows of new mown hay

The rangeland fills a cowboy’s heart with pride.

He rises slowly from his chair,

His back is stiff, grey’s in his hair.

He’s spent a lot of lone days in the sun.

He ain’t one much to complain

He saddles up, takes the reins,

And rides har ‘til his working day is done.

You can see it in the eyes of every woman and man

Who’ve spent their whole lives living close to the land.

There’s a love for the country

And a pride in the brand

In America’s heartland living close to the land

In America’s heartland close to the land.

When the sun is high overhead

She’s been eight hours out of bed.

She’s still got a lot of work to do,

Pulling weeds an' patchin' jeans

And keepin' faith when times are lean,

She does a man’s work and a woman’s too.

She’ll run a tractor, water stock,

Fix the truck, then feed her flock

But somehow she gets roses from the ground.

She ain’t got a thing to prove

She simply does what she must do

From early morning ‘til the sun goes down.

You can see it in the eyes of every woman and man

Who’ve spent their whole lives living close to the land.

There’s a love for the country

And a pride in the brand

In America’s heartland living close to the land

In America’s heartland close to the land.

There’s something that the people know

Who make things live and make things grow

Deeper than the words of any sage

That unless you’ve touched this earth,

Planted seeds, or given birth

The human heart can never come of age.

You can see it in the eyes of every woman and man

Who’ve spent their whole lives living close to the land.

There’s a love for this country

And a pride in the brand

In America’s heartland living close to the land

In America’s heartland close to the land.

Bringin' in the sheaves, bringin' in the sheaves

We shall come rejoicing bringin' in the sheaves.

‘Tis a gift to be simple,

‘Tis a gift to be free,

‘Tis a gift to come down

Where we ought to be.

When we find ourselves in the place just right

It will be in the valley of love and delight.

And when true simplicity is gained

To bow and to bend we won’t be ashamed.

To turn, turn will be our delight

«Til by turning, turning we come round right.