D                G 
While I was out a ridin' 
  D                  A 
 Grave yard shift, midnight til dawn 
    G                 D 
The moon was as bright as a readin' light 
A                            D  
For a letter from an old friend back home. 

Chorus 
    G 
And he asked me 
G         A              D 
Why do you ride for your money? 
  G         A           D 
Tell me why do you rope for short pay? 
          G         A 
You ain't gettin' no where 
           D           G G/F# Em 
And you're losin' your shaaaaare 
         A                        D                     
Boy, you must have gone crazy out there. 

D                                  G 
He tells me last night I run on to Jenny 
     D                       A 
She's married and has a good life 
        G                                 D                   
Ah you sure missed the track   when you never come back  
             A                    D 
She's the perfect professional's wife. 
Chorus 
   G 
And she asked me 
G         A               D 
Why does he ride for his money? 
  G        A              D 
why does he rope for short pay? 
         G        A 
He ain't gettin' no where 
           D             G G/F# Em     
And he's losin' his       shaaaaare 
    A                         D 
 He must have gone crazy out there. 

BRIDGE 
    G            A       D 
But then they've never seen the Northern Lights 
        G     A           D 
They've never seen the hawk on the wing 
        G      A       D                    G  G/F# Em 
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Diviiiiide 
        A                           D 
They've never heard ole camp cookie sing. 

(INST break just repeat bridge) 

D                               G 
Well, I read up the last of my letter 
D                             A 
I tore off the stamp for Black Jim 
    G                   D 
When Billy rode up to relieve me  
          A                      D 
He just looked at my letter and grinned. 

SLOW Chorus 
   G 
He said now 
  G         A               D 
 Why do they ride for their money? 
  G                A              D 
Tell me why do they rope for short pay? 
          G            A 
They ain't gettin' no where          
           D               G  G/F#   Em 
And they're losin' their    shaaaaaare 
     A                         D 
Son, they all must be crazy out there. 

BRIDGE 
      G        A       D 
Because they've never seen the Northern Lights 
        G     A         D 
They've never seen the hawk on the wing 
  G           A        D                  G G/F# Em 
They've never seen the spring hit the Great Divide 
        A                   D 
 Ahh- they've never heard ole camp cookie sing.