The Outlaw + 

When my loop takes hold on a two-year-old, + 

By the feet or the neck or the horn, + 

He kin plunge and fight till his eyes go white, + 

But I’ll throw him as sure as you’re born. + 

Though the taut rope sing like a banjo string + 

And the latigoes creak and strain, + 

Yet I’ve got no fear of an outlaw steer + 

And I’ll tumble him on the plain. + 

For a man is a man and a steer is a beast, + 

And the man is the boss of the herd; + 

And each of the bunch, from the biggest to least, + 

Must come down when he says the word. + 

When my leg swings ’cross on an outlaw hawse + 

And my spurs clinch into his hide, + 

He kin r’ar and pitch over hill and ditch, + 

But wherever he goes I’ll ride. + 

Let ’im spin and flop like a crazy top, + 

Or flit like a wind-whipped smoke, + 

But he’ll know the feel of my rowelled heel + 

Till he’s happy to own he’s broke. + 

For a man is a man and a hawse is a brute, + 

And the hawse may be prince of his clan, + 

But he’ll bow to the bit and the steel-shod boot + 

And own that his boss is the man. + 

When the devil at rest underneath my vest + 

Gets up and begins to paw, + 

And my hot tongue strains at its bridle-reins, + 

Then I tackle the real outlaw; + 

When I get plumb riled and my sense goes wild, + 

And my temper has fractious growed, + 

If he’ll hump his neck just a triflin’ speck, + 

Then it’s dollars to dimes I’m throwed. + 

For a man is a man, but he’s partly a beast⁠— + 

He kin brag till he makes you deaf, + 

But the one, lone brute, from the West to the East, + 

That he kaint quite break, is himse’f. + 