Prairie Fire

While drivin' a herd of cattle out in old Nebraska way Headin' east at Broken Bow one hot September day Tryin' to get to Omaha we hoped to find a buyer We never counted in the odds of a western prairie fire A hot south wind was blowin' and the air was gettin' dry Somethin' far away was spellin' trouble in the sky Comin' closer was a sound that topped the devil's choir Then we knew we had to race a raging prairie fire When all at once a flame is seen a lickin' at the sky And every heart is quicker and there's fear in every eye We'd just one chance to get away for there's no place to hide Gotta reach the river Platte one inch deep and one mile wide The herd is gettin' tired but we've got no time to rest I try to clear the red dust that is gatherin' in my chest From ridin' tail on a thousand head with the weather gettin' dry