When the sun sets on the prairie and the dogies settle down,
We make our camp beneath the risin’ moon.
Throw some sagebrush on the fire, as the cowboys gather ‘round
To say "good night," and sing a favorite tune:

Lay me down when night is fallin’
‘Neath the starry blanket of a western sky
Where a warm breeze blows and the ol’ coyote’s callin’,
callin’ That’s a cowboy lullaby

It’s a hard-time occupation, ridin’ herd across the range,
Through the blazin’ sun, through snow or drivin’ rain.
But a feather bed with a roof overhead starts feelin’ kinda strange,
And so I’m headin’ down the trail again.

Chorus

Bridge:
Another dusty day chasin’ longhorn strays;
Seems like it never ends.
Is there a shady tree for my pony and me
Waitin’ around the bend?

When I’m too old for ropin’ cattle, I don’t want to linger,
Rockin’ on the front porch all my days.
Lift me up into the saddle; slip the reins into my fingers.
My trusty Hermanito knows the way

Chorus