Lyrics Close to the Land - Michael Martin Murphey

Close to the Land

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.