Lyrics Close to the Land (America's Heartland) - Michael Martin Murphey

Close to the Land (America's Heartland)

Way before the sun comes up
Already on his second cup
Hes looking out across the open sky
As streaks of orange, pink, and gray
Wash over rows of new mown hay
The rangeland fills a cowboys heart with pride.
He rises slowly from his chair
His back is stiff, greys in his hair
Hes 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
Whove spent their whole lives living close to the land
Theres a love for the country
And a pride in the brand
In Americas heartland living close to the land
In Americas heartland close to the land.
When the sun is high overhead
Shes been eight hours out of bed
Shes still got a lot of work to do
Pulling weeds an patchin jeans
And keepin faith when times are lean
She does a mans work and a womans too.
Shell 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
Whove spent their whole lives living close to the land
Theres a love for the country
And a pride in the brand
In Americas heartland living close to the land
In Americas heartland close to the land.
Theres something that the people know
Who make things live and make things grow
Deeper than the words of any sage
That unless youve 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
Whove spent their whole lives living close to the land
Theres a love for this country
And a pride in the brand
In Americas heartland living close to the land
In Americas 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