Ridin' against the wind in east New Mexico
His skin is dry and worn as the Texas plains
He's headed where the air is thinand the cold blue northers blow
Up throw the raton pass but he'll have to beat the early snow.

The winter of '64 was a great many years ago
When a young man went away for the rebel cause
And he was branded by the war and the only life he'd know
Was lookin' over his shoulder saddle bound and layin' low.

Now there's a man on the goodnight loving
Like too many other men out on the trail
Who found the hard way when the pushing comes to shoving
He'd go six feet under before he'd go to jail.


Now there's a place just north of here where they say the outlaws go
Where a man can leave his name and past behind
And every now and then you'll hear he's gone the way of the buffalo
And that he finally made the pass but he didn't beat the early snow.

Now there's a man on the goodnight loving
Like too many other men out on the trail
Who found the hard way when the pushing comes to shoving
He'd go six feet under before he'd go to jail.

He'd go six feet under before he'd go to jail...