Brenn’s newest album, Painkiller, now available.
LYRICS
Painkiller
Verse 1:
When my demons come back to haunt me
I remember every hard fall
Every shoulda woulda and coulda
And I curse them one and all
Unbroke horses and bad decisions
The burnin’ sun and the frozen ground
And the northwest wind so unforgivin’
And the dark of night gets me down
Chorus:
And I take painkillers every mornin’
I take painkillers every night
I empty the bottle again and again
But I just can’t kill the pain
Verse 2:
A storm is comin’ I can feel it
In the marrow of my long bones
My sciatica turns to psychosis
And the hell of it all is the pills are gone
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
Check my blood Doc Check my heart
It’s been broken for so long
Give me somethin’ or give me nothin’
Just don’t tell me nothin’s wrong
Final Verse
Cause I got demons and they sure haunt me
When the sun sets and until dawn
My sciatica turns to psychosis
And the hell of it all my woman’s gone
Final Chorus
Austin Triangle
Verse 1
Shut the gate behind you boy and listen to the wind
Blowin’ cross the sagebrush through the wire
The sound of that old frackin’ station echoes once again
It’s the ways and means a cowboy is for hire
Out here on the Triangle summer finds its end
In the waves of cryin’ stormclouds rollin’ in
Listen to the thunder crack and see the lightnin’ bend
Check your cinch and blankets once again
Chorus:
And come of age come what may
Today we’ll ride and rope and wrangle
Today we’re playin’ hookie while we’re ridin’ for the brand
In the rain out on the Austin Triangle
Verse 2:
I know you’ve had your heart broke a time or two before
I know that you’ve got pain you try to hide
I see you give your damnedest and a measure even more
I know you wish you had more time to ride
Out here on the Triangle you can be yourself
As you let your horse and spirit intertwine
Leave your hurt and worries home a sittin’ on the shelf
Let the Bridger Valley clear your mind
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
In your eyes I see the boy I used to be
And I wonder have I given you enough
But the best of what I have to give is priceless yet it’s free
You may never be rich but you’ll be tough
Final Chorus
I Like (What I've Got)
Verse 1
I like friendly fellas and confident ladies
Tough hearted horses, strong coffee and babies
Cow dogs that mind well and tough jobs getting done
A pardner with knack to make work fun
I like a good saddle and chicken fried steaks
A truck that never quits and a rope that never breaks
A well loaded pack string that stays head to tail
A good lead cow that always takes the right trail
Chorus:
And it don’t take much to please me
I find myself wanting for not
I’m happy, I’m healthy
I may not be wealthy
But Lord I love what I’ve got
I like silver bridles and hand-braided reins
Mane hair mecates and swivel rein chains
A good shoeing outfit and a teepee that don’t leak
Custom made boots and dry socks for my feet
I like the wild remnants that need to be roped
When plans come together the way that I hoped
A camp without rattlers and a creek without thorns
Neck rag you can wrap twice and cattle with horns
Repeat Chorus
Bridge
So deal me a straight suit with a fair chance to win
Tell me a joke that don’t offend
Give me some long shank spurs, a sharp pocketknife
And Lord let me keep this of life
Final Chorus
Not A Soldier
Verse 1
I see in your eyes that your heart is hurtin’
You’re a mountain of muscle and a trained combat veteran
You’re an infantry warrior you can kill or restrain
You’ll follow an order through hellfire and pain
Verse 2:
Your war never ended and it never will
There’s scars on your heart that never can heal
The world keeps on turnin’ the days turn to night
Your family needs you but you’re lost in the fight
Chorus:
And I’m not a soldier and I never will be
I’ve taken for granted what it costs to be free
So tell me your story then tell it again
No I’m not a soldier but I will be your friend
Verse 3:
Let me ride beside you through Kunar River Valley
And the mountainside battle where the Taliban rallied
Where the hot rush of war turns fear into fire
And the revenant’s reckoning is your only desire
Repeat Chorus:
Verse 4:
I’ll listen forever if that’s what it takes
I’ll call to the Heavens and for Heaven’s sake
Hold on and keep fightin’ for you always will be
An American Soldier and a hero to me
An American Soldier and a hero to me
God And My Wife
Chorus:
God and my wife raisin’ good children
They look like me a little but they’re not like me at all
They’re patient and kind not restless and unsettled
For the things that they believe in they stand up straight and tall
While I resolve to try to rise again
Thankful to my wife and God for raisin’ good children
Verse 1:
Time was I couldn’t find the highway
To bring her home a paycheck from a bar
For the alcohol still streamin’ through my blood
Singin’ and pickin’ on this old beat up guitar
Lyin’ to the man inside the mirror
Cheatin’ death and chasin’ selfish dreams
Longer that I live it just gets clearer and clearer
I’m the broken link that’s somewhere in between
Verse 2:
Some years I run the straight and narrow
Some years I barely stumble on
I’m a sinner from my hair down to my marrow
The slow man on the team fumblin’ the baton
Bridge:
Blessed so far beyond what I deserve
Slow and unrefined and weak of heart
And only God knows how much I love her
And only they know how I always fall apart
Final Chorus
Cambridge in the Rain
Verse 1:
Still hear the sound of the motor windin’ up
Still feel the pull against the grade
Still smell the rubber of a brand new truck
Still see Shoshone Falls cascade
Turn up the radio and listen to the news
Paul Harvey’s on again at noon
Check on horses make sure nothin’ comin’ loose
We’ll be in Ontario soon
Chorus:
Ridin’ to Cambridge in the Rain
Sing summer wages and Navajo Rug again
You’ll never have another ride quite like that one back then
Ridin’ to Cambridge in the Rain
Verse 2:
Now every Spring you still long to be
Where grass and wildflowers kiss the evergreens
Still hear a high rollin’ river in your dreams
Prettiest country that you still have ever seen
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
This world is movin’ too damn fast
When it rains it hardly ever rains for long
Diesel trucks do 80 on the pass
And you never know the power of a song
Final Chorus
Hay
Verse 1:
There’s hay in my church clothes
And hay down in my boots
There’s hay upon my pillow
And I think it’s growin’ roots
There’s hay in my ears and nose
And hay in my beard
And it’s been there for so long
That I don’t even think it’s weird
Chorus:
Hay is for my horses
Hay makes critters fat
Fat’s my favorite color
And no matter where I’m at
You’ll find a trail of green legumes
Spread out in disarray
I live for the day it blooms
So I can proudly say Hay!
Verse 2:
A sunny day is just ok
But rain makes grass grow tall
And every last blade of grass
Is not too much at all
I’ve spent a handsome fortune
On seed and fertilizer
‘cept when comes to bailin’ son
Well then I plumb despise it
Repeat Chorus
Verse 3:
Hey I’ve got a great idea
Let’s plow our cities under
Let’s seed the land from sea to sea
With green and purple plunder
What will we do with the urbanites
Well I think it’s fair to say
We’ll surely need them here alright
To bail and haul our hay!
No Country for Faithless Men
Verse 1:
Once there was a Holy Man
Who promised this family brand
Grass would always stretch the land
Deep and lush and green
But cometh now the wicked world
The wrath of God has been unfurled
There’s fire in the wind-whirl
Worst drought he’s ever seen
Chorus:
So save again this righteous man
Let the Spirit guide his Houlihan
Let this sacred land be green again
This is no country for faithless men
Verse 2:
Diggin’ deeper every stock-well stream
For a trickle of the crystal cream
Will he live out his golden dream
Or will he starve here with his cattle
Thistles bloom and reach out for the sky
The parched earth echoes out a painful sigh
He will see it through or die
A steel fork welded to his saddle
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
And prophets seers and revelators
They can see eternity
The dry land rancher’s fate depends on
Will there a tomorrow be
Verse 3:
It only takes a horseshoe spark
To turn the sky and rangeland dark
An arrow through his aching heart
Pray the Lord it falls on dust
This is no country for faithless men
Will the cattle prices rise again
Lord will it ever rain again
This is no country for faithless men
This is no country for faithless men
Too Hurt to Heal
Verse 1:
On a whirlwind run you’re a son of a gun
I never thought I’d regret the day I taught you to ride
You’re on your way to the top I’d like to tell you to stop
It wouldn’t do any good I know you’ve already tried
Your little boy’s at the end of the drive sayin’ Daddy can you take me this time
Hold him close wipe the tears from his eyes ain’t it just like a memory of mine
Chorus:
But in the back of my mind every time I watch you drive away
I keep it buried inside along with everything else I’ve been wantin’ to say
You’ve broken fifty good bones and I know you’re not a young as you feel
So what happens next time if you get too hurt to heal
Verse 2:
She’s a rodeo wife she’s in it for life
She’d never say she regrets the day she told you I do
You ride the best that you can they turn right into your hand
You still get lucky sometimes I know you live right too
Your little boy’s at the end of the drive when you finally make it home again
Hold him close wipe the hair from his eyes I remember how long it’s been
Repeat Chorus:
Bridge:
Like a war plan hope for the best but plan for the absolute worst
If you dreams get shattered son by a wheelchair or a hearse
Final Chorus
Two of a Kind
Verse 1:
They’d been drinkin’ all night they’d been drinkin’ all day when they tied up tight
And just drove away
No one could believe she would ever survive
And she still wears the scars from her hooves to her heart and she still shies from cars when she hears them start
But she’s still alive
Verse 2:
He was sure he would die when he first heard the blast of a roadside bomb it all happened so fast no one could believe he would ever survive
And now he still wears the scars from his head to his heart and he still fights a war every night in the dark
But he’s still alive
Chorus:
And they’re two of a kind and they’re out of their minds and they’re learnin to trust every time they hook up And they’re fallin’ apart now they’re healin’ their hearts and they’re happy to find each other
Two of a kind
Verse 3:
It’d been seven months since he left his house he justified more than once takin’ himself out he didn’t know how he would ever survive
But when he looked in her eyes and saw the long scars there was somethin’ inside that made him reach through the dark
And they’re both still alive
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
Call it Equine therapy they take care of each others needs
Call it true comradery they’re settin’ each other free
Final Chorus
The Humble Son
Verse 1:
I put my Dad against a wall
In a fit of rage
He came up swingin’
A whole lot younger than his age
And I learned humility the hard way
I snubbed him to a post
Cinched my saddle on
When they turned us loose
I could not stay on
I learned humility the hard way
Chorus:
God will have a humble son
The easy way the hard way either one
Whether in the life or when your journey’s done
God will have a humble son
Verse 2:
Couldn’t take her bitchin’
At me any longer
I blocked her in the kitchen
Knew I was stronger
And I learned regret the hard way
Our first born watched me
And in a fit of rage
He came up swingin’
A whole lot bigger than his age
I learned humility the hard way
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
I hold this bible in my hand
Hopin’ one day I will learn
When to kneel and when to stand
When another cheek to turn
Final Verse:
I work ‘em slow now
And from the ground
Firm fundamentals
Steady and sound
I teach partnership the right way
But I’m short of friends now
Mostly alone
I spend some long hard nights
All on my own
I’ve learned humility the hard way
Final Chorus
One Last Ride
Chorus:
Give me two shots of Pendleton whiskey,
Load up my good saddlehorse
Trailer us up Franklin canyon
Point his old head to the north
Then slap him hard on the backside
Son don’t you dare say goodbye
One last ride is a fine way to die
Verse 1:
I’ve been a bronc rider; been a streetfighter
I’ve been a business man
I’ve been a lover played for the cover
Played every card in my hand
A man’s got a right to his cowboy pride
To cling to his own dignity
Son you should know at the end of the road
Here’s what I want done with me
Verse 2:
I’ve seen my Grandaddy cry like a baby
Beggin’ my Daddy and me
To take him back home before he goes crazy
In a rest home on some city street
And some of my heroes who made double zeroes
Took their last breath in a bed
Son I’m a countin on you that a mountain
Is where I will fall over dead
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
It might be the dead of the winter
I pray it’s the middle of fall
Call it my last wild bender
Then call nobody at all
Verse 3:
I don’t want nobody to
I don’t want nobody to look down on me
Layin in some wooden box
I’ll lay down easy where no one will see me
On sweetgrass or gray granite rocks
The wind o’er my bones rain on my face
One the last empty gaze at my sky
One last ride is a fine way to die
Angel Fly Away
Angel fly away all your cares are gone
Go and find your wings now we will carry on
I’ll see you when I close my eyes and think of you each day
Angel fly away
Angel fly away
Chariots from Heaven have come for you today
Its your turn to be set free from all your worldly pain
Angel fly away
Many times I heard you say just how much you loved me
But the man you think I am is just the one someday I’ll be
Now I hope I love you too was what I had to say
As you flyin’ away
Angel fly away
Though there’s a precious angel here wantin’ you to stay
But it’s your time to see the Lord he’s sent for you today
Angel fly away
Angel its been sweet livin’ next to you
Now I think of all things that I didn’t do
But you walked in the light and I live in the gray
Angel fly away
Angel fly away
Friends like you just don’t come along every day
And I pray that I love you was what you heard me say
As you flew away
Angel fly away
From the open spaces of the Rocky Mountain West, Brenn Hill adds a special twist to the typical GenX… Cowboy Style. Through writing and singing the songs that keep alive the tradition and heart of the American cowboy, Brenn has made a commitment to maintain the legend of the West.
ReRides embraces cowboy life—the old and the new. Hard work, big skies, steadfastness, new love, cowboy pride… these are the values and charm that are no different for the cowboy today than the cowboy that lived a hundred years ago.
ReRides features 18 freshly recorded songs many of which are signature to the Brenn Hill sound and perspective. Songs like Call You Cowboy, an award-winning cowboy anthem that describes the coming-of-age struggle of so many young people in agriculture. Burnin’ Hair—a song that captures the true spirit of the ranch branding party and livestock production. It includes Greys River Road, Wyoming Wind, and Lady Idaho—odes to the states that have inspired Brenn throughout his life. Cowboy Cadillac and Bitter Creek are love songs for the young and old alike. There is a cover of Gary McMahon’s cowboy classic The Old Double Diamond and a new original, Long Roll the Wagon—a tribute to young buckaroos of the Great Basin.
And many more…
This collection of favorites has never been made available digitally until now. Brenn’s seasoned and passionate voice gives new meaning to fan-favorite songs. Recorded by and with some of the music industry’s finest talent, ReRides is sure to captivate listeners who love and long for the Great American West.

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LYRICS
Howlin’ On the Wind
Verse 1:
I came back home to suburban life
Down off my Rocky Mountain High
Back to my job my kids and wife
I guess I’ll give it one more try
But I’m lost here in the traffic
And these busy urban streets
Oh this concrete world is plastic
It don’t care about me
Chorus:
I wish I was howlin’ on the wind
Wish I was howlin’ on the wind
I feel like I’ve lost all of my friends
Wish I was howlin’ on the wind
Verse 2:
There’s nothin’ sacred here anymore
No one’s lookin’ for the truth
Those Rocky Mountains are Heaven’s door
An endless fountain of youth
But I can’t speak my religion
On these busy urban streets
With political correctness
And its chains upon my feet
Might as well be…
Repeat Chorus
Bridge
And the wolves are howlin’ right outside my door
Gotta kill ‘em if I can
Just when I think I can’t take it anymore
Autumn comes around again
Final Chorus
And I’m right back howlin’ on the wind
Right back howlin’ on the wind
Runnin’ wild with my friends
Back out howlin’ on the wind
Rocky Mountain Drifter
Verse 1
I can’t count all my memories
Can’t explain the things I’ve seen
Years and miles have run right through me
Can’t remember where all I’ve been
Some might see that I’m still young
With hopeful eyes and a way that’s clear
But when I drive these endless highways
There’s an old man in the mirror
I keep reachin’ out for somethin’ That just gets further and further away
Chorus:
Twenty years of ramblin’ a couple million miles
I’ve done most of it alone
Put the kids to bed tonight and wait up for me
Your Rocky Mountain Drifter’s comin’ home
Verse 2:
I still believe that there’s a story
No one else would ever tell
The fading west in all her glory
Before it’s all bought and sold and gone to Hell
I guess I still believe in somethin’
That’s what makes me who I am today
Repeat Chorus
Bridge
And there will always be a sad goodbye
The time apart and the tear in your eye
But Heaven help me on this road alone
Pray there’ll always be a time to come home
Verse 3
Keep your phone by your side
Keep your days and nights full of hope
Put the kids to bed and wait up for me
Your Rocky Mountain Drifter’s comin’ home
Black Joe
Verse 1
Out on the fringes of the Winecup
Many long years ago
Was a big black mustang stud
Name of Big Black Joe
He was the keeper of the brood mares
He ruled the east Owyhee
And ev’ry wooly buckaroo that rode there
Wanted the skull of that caballo
Chorus:
Black Joe stud Devil in mustang blood
Keep your eyes on the far horizon
Or he’ll come and stomp you in the mud
The Black Joe Stud
Verse 2:
My little sister and my father
Gathering down along the river
When down the walls of the black canyon
Danced a ghostly knicker
She rode a little buckskin mare
He said “little girl ride away hard!”
He dug his ol’ Garcias into an old thoroughbred gelding
And rode straight toward
Repeat Chorus
Verse 3
Hellbent to save his little girl
He T boned that old stallion on the slide
And they all fell twistin’ and turnin’
Through dust and brush and horse hide
And as my father got back to his feet
He took the reigns of his big thoroughbred steed
But he took one front slashin’ hoof to the back
Turned around and all he could see
Repeat Chorus
Verse 4
Along the breaks of the Owyhee River
They fought and chased for an hour
Til the whinnie of one of his broodmares
Made the old black stud herd sour
Father rode back to headquarters
Bleedin’ from a slash above his eye
Grateful to God to find his little girl alive
Sworn to see a mustang die
Repeat Chorus
Verse 5
Twelve buckaroos mounted fresh horses
Rode for the range along the river
Tracked west to the foothills of the
Owyhees And south across the barren desert
On the hard pan alkali moonscape
They lost the tracks of his herd
My father’s 30-30 never left his scabbard
And he never said another word
Final Chorus
The Last Catch
She stepped on my heel the first time I caught her
But somethin restrained me when I turned to swat her
Those soft deep dark eyes and quiet demeanor
Told me I could forgive her and she was a keeper
She sure broke out easy she was naturally kind
You know those kinda horses are so hard to find
I sent her to Wyomin to become a cowhorse
And she became a good hand all through the Big Horns
She learned to cut and sort there she packed elk and mule deer
She gathered in the Snowy Range, and down over Rabbit Ears
Then she started coughin’ from some bad hay in Rawlins
I knew there was trouble when they started callin’
So I went and got her brought her back to Utah
She had a high jugular pulse and she was sucked in and gaunt
I put her on albuterol and she came back to life
She carried me and my children and she carried my wife
Then tragedy struck and my son he got cancer
She knew somethin’ was wrong but she didn’t have any answers
I left he with a friend of mine up Franklin Canyon
I saw her in the rearview mirror lookin’ scared and abandoned
Fourteen long months we spent just fightin’ for dear life
I wanted to saddle up and ride but I couldn’t leave my wife
When we brought her and my son back home it was one sweet reunion
She turned nineteen that year it was the middle of June
Melodic Break/And somewhere in the middle of the night
I heard her coughin’ out in the moonlight
I knew her time was short the end was comin’
But there was one more job for her before her time was done
She became a therapy horse for my little boy
I knew she found a job again and it brought her joy
And days turned into months and months turned into years
One mornin’ my wife came in from feedin’ drownin’ in tears
Cause she was sick and dyin’ I’d waited too long
I couldn’t stand the thought of livin’ and her bein’ gone
And I’ll never forget the tears from my wife and daughter
And the look inside her eyes the last time I caught her
Old Ghost
Verse 1:
He’s old enough to be broke
But he’s much too young to broken
But he can barely get his foot inside the stirrup this mornin’
For the old ghosts have spoken
There’s a demon diggin’ daggers in his shoulder
Blowin’ hate and hot breath down his back
He keeps a damn stiff upper lip to keep from cryin’
While the old ghosts make their attack
Chorus 1:
And their risin’ risin’ through the misty mountain mornin’
And he keeps ridin’ to heal the scars inside that hurt the most
But he keeps fightin’ fightin’ and ridin’ hard and prayin’
For some new strength today to face the Old Ghosts
Verse 2:
And then she whispers on the wind
Reminds him of the life and love they once had
He builds a big loop in his long reata
Spurs his pony hard and misses bad bad
Chorus 2:
And she’s risin’ risin’ through the dust and sage and sorrow
And he keeps ridin’ to heal the scars inside that hurt the most
But she comes back and he knows that she’ll be back again tomorrow
To take away his strength to face the Old Ghosts
Bridge:
And there’s nights nights that he falls down and then it’s mornin’
And there’s nights that he don’t every really sleep at all
And he could drink but he knows well to heed the preacher’s warnin’
Give Ol’ Scratch an inch he’ll take it all
Give Ol’ Scratch an inch he’ll take it all
Repeat Chorus 1
Muddy Creek
Verse 1:
There’s a sign says Muddy Water
Creek is risin’ in the Spring
There’s a rainstorm on the hogbacks
Pray the good Lord don’t send down no Spring lightning
Turnin’ out on Muddy Creek lease
By the railroad tracks in the Spring
Colts a boogerin’ when the train rolls by
Its good you didn’t use him when branding
Chorus:
And you’re fiddlin’ around with a little leppy calf
That just don’t want to pair up ain’t it strange
How the prairie dogs bark from mornin’ til dark
While Muddy Creek keeps a risin’ through the rains
Verse 2:
There’s a big black Golden Eagle
Salivatin’ on his perch on Three Boob Ridge
There’s a rainstorm on the hogbacks
Damn Muddy Creek’s a runnin’ o’er the bridge
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
And I can hear some lightnin’ roll
Over Evanston to the West
And I can see that old Cedar knoll
Where we’ll finally close the gate and end our quest
Final Verse:
And where the sign says Muddy Water
I’ll be leavin’ here for a week
There’s a dry wind comin’ on the hogbacks
Pretty soon there’s nothin’ runnin’ in the creek
Adios til next year Muddy Creek
Buffalo Beard
Verse 1:
Bow your head now Buffalo Beard
The rodeo is on; have no fear
Your horses are fresh and your latigo’s tight
And the time is right yeah the time is right
Toss a wide loop Buffalo Beard
There’s money on the line and way is clear
Settle him down back him in tight
Cause its on tonight yeah its on tonight
Chorus 1:
Buffalo Beard Buffalo Beard
I’m sendin you down on a Navajo prayer
Your possibles bag’s full of rodeo gear
Good luck down there Buffalo Beard
Verse 2:
Turn him back around Buffalo Beard
One quick dally and you’re almost there
Barrier’s broken and the flag is up
You know you need some luck yeah a little bit of luck
They’ll call you by name Buffalo Beard
Love of your life’s fightin’ back a tear
There’s more than a buckle on the line tonight
And the time is right you know the time is right
Chorus 2:
Buffalo Beard Buffalo Beard
I’m sendin’ you down on a Shoshone prayer
Your possible’s bag’s full of rope and gear
Good luck down there Buffalo Beard
Bridge:
Winnin’ means so much to you
But the West lives on win or lose
Repeat Chorus 1&2
There Goes My Son
Verse 1:
Here take the keys go take a spin
Take your hopes and dreams and win
Nobody told me how this would go
Use four-wheel drive in the snow
Just come back home once in a while
But I was born to run he says with a smile
Chorus:
As he’s drivin’ away with my heart
Suddenly sixteen doesn’t seem so far away
So let’s keep it safe out on the highway everyone
Cause there goes my son
Verse 2:
Sirens will stop my heart at anytime
Late nights I’ll be out of my mind
So check the brakes check the oil check the mirror
If you ever need me I’ll be here
Just come back home Just come back home
Comes a time when you gotta just let go
Repeat Chorus Bridge:
We’ve all got places to go
And we all love someone so let’s take it slow
Final Chorus
Drivin’ Daddy’s Jeep
Verse 1:
Silly boys Jeeps are for girls and damn she’s late for school
And she won’t even look at you ‘cause you’re just not that cool
You’ll be drivin’ Dad’s old truck turn sixteen in just one month
She’ll still sit higher parkin’ crooked right up front
Chorus:
Cause boys she’s drivin’ Daddy’s Jeep
And she’s puttin’ makeup on
While she’s finishin’ her breakfast
While she’s talkin’ on the phone
And she’s way above the law
Hell she could drive in her sleep
So get out the way boys cause she’s drivin’ Daddy’s Jeep
Verse 2:
Thirty threes, six-inch lift, she can’t even feel the road
And it takes the whole back seat just to carry her load
Of curlers books and pom poms and her boyfriends dirty clothes
And how they ended up back there Heaven only knows
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
I wonder what its like inside up on those leather seats
I heard she takes off her shoes and works that clutch with her bare feet
Final Chorus
And The River Ran Red
Bitter wind cries out of moonless skies
and canteens freeze to ice
Horses stagger on, seventy miles by dawn;
victory comes at a price
Drumbeats pound, songs resound
off bluffs above river banks,
a Warm Dance to bring an early spring,
and send the Great Spirit thanks
And the river ran red rolling
with bodies of the dead
massacred on the banks of the River Bear
Blue-coated soldiers carried out killing orders there
and the river ran red
Hoofs test the edge of the bluff ledge
to the banks of the Bear below
Splash freezes quick and the ice floats thick
in the black of the river’s flow
Before the sun, before night is done
brass bugles sound the attack
In Beaver Creek ravine rolled the killing machine
and there was no turning back
And the river ran red rolling
with bodies of the dead
massacred on the banks of the River Bear
Blue-coated soldiers carried out killing orders there
and the river ran red
No surrender, no quarter, now blood forever stains her shore
with bayonet and gun; when their work was done
Three hundred Shoshoni breathed no more
And the river ran red
rolling with bodies of the dead
And the river ran red
Through the Lightnin’ Storm
Verse 1:
Bucky started pitchin’ somehow I stayed on
Seven miles up Eastfork Meadow fifteen miles long
Nobody watched the news last night nobody checked the weather
We were four young wranglers followin’ a boss hellbent for leather
There were 700 pair stretched out in front of us
And at the first strike of dry lightnin’ I heard ol’
Ricky cuss It was deep down in his throat it was a whisper cross his lips
But it echoed in our hearts and souls each time the lightnin’ hit
Chorus:
And Donnie rolled a smoke to hide the fear inside his eyes
And Pedro started prayin’ lookin’ all across the skies
And the rimrock all around us flashed the air was dense and warm
As we kept the herd a movin’ on through the lightnin’ storm
Verse 2:
We stopped and let our horses drink from the new Spring Tank
And no one said a word as lightnin’ crashed along the bank
We tore across the meadow when four pair broke and ran
Longin’ for the home corrals and less forsaken land
But we kept ‘em headed north until we reached the summer range
With those old dry lightnin’ nimbus clouds just circlin’ so strange
The lightnin’ and the wind passed by the Meadow’s upper end
And we all started talkin’ loud and laughin’ once again
Chorus:
And Donnie rolled another smoke and drew hard on his flask
And Pedro started singin’ loud and sang the whole ride back
And the rimrock all around us watched like mother’s watch newborns
As we kept the herd a movin’ on through the lightnin’ storm
Verse 3:
Sometimes the storms of life will come when you expect it least
The great gray clouds will gather o’er and roar just like a beast
Just square your shoulders up remember what you’re ridin’ for
And keep your herd a movin’ on through the lightnin’ storm
Just keep your hopes and dreams a movin’ through the lightnin’ storm
Oklahoma Wind
Verse 1:
Fancy you a standin’ there with your diamond necklace on
Lookin’ at me like you’ve just seen some old ghost
It’s a trendy place in the old downtown now the old café is gone
This woulda been where we hung out the most
And I see that you just can’t help but look me up and down
Ragged jeans and muddy boots and spurs
I mighta left them in the truck if I’d known you’d be around
What’s a matter are you finally lost for words
Chorus:
Or do you see back twenty long years to the night you said goodbye
Did you think you’d never see me again
Did you miss my truck and trailer parked by the old town sign
Blown in by the Oklahoma wind
Verse 2:
I finally found my rainbow in the buckskin colt she foaled
I’m gonna buy a ranch outside of town
Maybe you could bring our son to meet his real
Dad sometime I’m sure that I’ll be seein’ you around
You disappeared back twenty long years and I never said goodbye
Did you think you’d never see me again
A prisoner in my truck and trailer watchin’ as towns roll by
Blown in by the Oklahoma wind
Verse 3:
Oh is this your husband well I never did get the news
Congratulations is way long over due
I see that he must really do well by the tassels on his shoes
A Houston gas and oil boy through and through
Chorus:
I know you see back twenty long years to the night you said goodbye
You never thought that you’d see me again
I’d like to take that son of ours and teach him how to ride
Straight into the Oklahoma wind
It’s a cold night in the Oklahoma wind
My Angel Wings
Verse 1:
I drove all night to drive all day
I gave my heart and soul away
So far from home still my heart sings
I hope I earn my Angel Wings
I bear the pain of brother’s hearts
I never cease til healing starts
Final goodbyes are precious things
I hope I earn my own Angel Wings
Chorus:
My Angel Wings will carry me
Back to loved ones I long to see
They visit me in my dreams
Tell me I’ll earn my Angel Wings
Verse 2:
I am a sinner through and through
I’ll rectify one day the wrong
I do His great Atonement such peace it brings
I hope I earn my Angel Wings
Repeat Chorus
Verse 3:
My wife and children they wait for me
And home is where a father should be
There are no words for how much your friendship means
I hope I earn my Angel Wings
Shoot Me
Verse 1:
I’m stuck here in this prison called assisted livin’
Hell And I have lost my mind but doctors say I’m doin’ well
There’s green grass through my window but the fall is comin’ soon
I lie awake at night and wait to see the passin’ moon
My family comes and goes I guess their lives are not like mine
I sift through my memories most of which are truly fine
But I was once a whisky drinkin’ able mountain man
Now I can’t even hold a gun or bottle in my hand
Chorus:
So take me up to Woodruff when the leaves are comin’ gold
One last ride o’er Monte in the early Autumn cold
Take me from this prison and this cold hospital bed
Then take my old Winchester and shoot me in the head
Verse 2:
I’ll smell the Autumn sagebrush I’ll look into the sky
My heart it will be full again the moment that I die
I’ll see the Rocky Mountains when I take my final breath
And know I love you more for givin’ me a cowboy’s death
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
And I know what I’m askin’ is too much
But life is so much sweeter when you die someplace you love
Final Chorus lyrics over Verse Melody
With Rocky Mountain Drifter, his fourteenth album, songwriter and singer Brenn Hill follows a trail far and deep into the heart and soul of the American West. His clear, powerful voice wrings every ounce of feeling from every song, interpreting compositions that reflect the West of today and recollect the West of days gone by. While retaining the roots of the tradition, the arrangements and instrumentation refresh and rejuvenate the substance of cowboy and Western music. Masterful musicians and expert production contribute to a spirited sound sure to seize listeners by the ears and energize emotions.
Brenn’s fourteen original compositions on Rocky Mountain Drifter tell tales of courage, adventure, tragedy, violence, faith, family, longing, struggle, and despair—the full spectrum of the human experience, played out under wide western skies. The title song anticipates the tender homecoming of a traveling man, while “Angel Wings” contemplates a homecoming of a different kind. “There Goes My Son” and “Drivin’ Daddy’s Jeep” address the anxieties of raising teenagers in complicated times, while “Old Ghosts” and “Shoot Me” delve into the opposite end of life. Storytelling takes a hard twist in “Black Joe” and “Buffalo Beard” as they plow a fresh new furrow through the West. The haunting “And the River Ran Red” recounts, with honest reverence, the bloodiest massacre in Western history. Other originals in the collection likewise peel away expectations to plumb new depths. Also included is a fresh rendition of the iconic “Desperados Waiting for a Train” by celebrated Texas legend Guy Clark, and a sparkling interpretation of the number-one Dan Seals rodeo hit, “Everything That Glitters.”
With its wide appeal and deep meaning, watch for Brenn Hill’s Rocky Mountain Drifter to reach new heights in Western music.
Listeners will learn of Rocky Mountain Drifter through social media, e-mail, and other online encounters and advertising. A “Making of Rocky Mountain Drifter – Part 1” and “Making of Rocky Mountain Drifter – Part 2″ videos and the official Rocky Mountain Drifter music video will excite existing fans and attract new ones. Reviews and features will appear in appropriate print media.

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LYRICS
Spirit Rider
Verse 1:
Well I know you can’t imagine ridin’ on alone
Carryin’ on this ranch on your own
Now the winds of change are blowin’ and the winter’s settin’ in
And you look like you have lost your best friend
And you’re feelin’ like the good times are all gone
And you wonder if its time for movin’ on
Chorus 1:
But the Spirit Rider’s comin’
On a white horse through the sky
Give your horse his head and run him
Brother don’t ever ask why
I’m the angel on your shoulder
I’ll be ridin’ alongside ya
You will always be my brother
Now I’m your Spirit Rider
Verse 2:
Well there ain’t no use in wishin’ you could hear my voice again
Just listen to the cold Wyomin’ wind
I’m the blue sky in the summer I’m the colors of the Fall
I’m the horses you love most of all
And if you really want to feel me close to you
Go and do the things we loved to do
Chorus 2:
Cause the Spirit Rider’s comin’
On a white horse through the sky
Give your horse his head run him
Brother don’t ever ask why
I’m the angel on your shoulder
I’ll be ridin’ alongside ya
You will always be my brother
Now I’m your Spirit Rider
Bridge
Carry on this family brand
If you ever need a hand
Final Chorus
From Spotted Bear Montana to Nez Perce Idaho
I am free Lord I am free
Turn me loose and set me runnin’ on Elk City Wagon Road
I’ll be free Lord I’ll be free
The Land of No Return
Verse 1:
Through the veil I can see my family’s tears
I can feel the depth of sorrow as they mourn
For my body lies in ruin ‘neath a stand of Douglas Fir
And from their arms for mortal life I have been torn
But I lived strong and I loved deeply on the earth
I chose the road of righteousness and truth
And I held the girl that loved me; prayed for the one that gave me birth
As I smiled and bid farewell to my own youth
Chorus:
So let me fly again on unbreakable wings
We will meet again in the land beyond all dreams
And though my life is over there’s no need for you to mourn
There is peace here in the land of no return
Verse 2:
So live your dreams for I am living beyond mine
I know now just how the mystery unfolds
Believe in God’s eternal plan and know that I’ll be fine
With the love of my life here for me to hold
And praise the land where I took my final breath
May those Salmon River Mountains ever stand
For I lived a life of freedom and I died a cowboy’s death
And there’s nothin’ more to ask of any man
Repeat Chorus
Guns A Blazin’
Verse 1:
You have cause to wonder how much I love you
The time has come for you my son to finally hear the truth
You are what I live for and everything I do
I do because I love you and I know you love me too
Chorus:
And I yell from the sidelines of the game that you call life
And I always love you though you won’t always be right
For the rest of forever or until my days are through
I’ll come runnin’ guns a blazin’ just to prove my love for you
Verse 2:
The signs are all around us the world is changing fast
You are living proof to me God saved his best for last
The way you treat the ones you beat with honor and respect
The way you stand tall in defeat may you never forget
Chorus
That I yell from the sidelines of the game that you call life
And I always love you though you won’t always be right
For the rest of forever or until my days are through
I’ll come runnin’ guns a blazin’ just to prove my love for you
Bridge:
And I know I don’t always say the things you need to hear
But you can hear how I love you every time I stand and cheer
And for the rest of forever or until my days are through
I’ll come runnin’ guns a blazin’ just to prove my love for you
I’ll come runnin’ guns a blazin’ just to prove my love for you
Hill Family Song
Verse 1:
We have been saved for these latter days
We have been made to follow His way
There may be times we might turn in despair
But He is always there
Chorus:
We will go on
And we will not fall
And we will not run
We will be strong
Through the darkest night
We’ll stand and fight
Through the deepest pain
Our love remains
And we will go on
Verse 2:
This battle of life
Rages outside
So we face the storm
We’re ready to ride
And there may be times
We must stand on our own
But we are never alone
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
The day will come when we will be with Him again
But until then
Final Chorus
Tag
We will go on
We will go on
Daddy’s And Daughters
Verse 1:
What am I gonna do with a little baby girl
I don’t know the first thing ‘bout how you see the world
I never had a sister I don’t understand my wife
Now I’ve signed up to love you for the rest of my life
Chorus:
Daddy’s and daughters
Cowboys and Angels
It’s a love so true
There’s nothin’ I won’t do
For two sweet arms around my neck
And a kiss upon my cheek
Little girl you’re everything to me
Verse 2:
You’re growin’ up so fast and I really don’t know why
I’ll hold you forever or until you wanna fly
Cause everything that’s right and good and innocent and true
Is sittin’ here right next to me and livin’ inside you
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
So take my hand and hold on for dear life
It’s a big mean world so cover up your eyes
And dream those dreams that every little cowgirl dreams
Little girl you’re everything to me
Little girl you’re everything to me
Ballad of Sim Weston, Jr
Verse 1:
They arced on the highway one October mornin’
When that renegade bay dropped his head without warnin’
With two oncoming semis in either direction
We reigned up to witness the fate of Simmie Weston
Chorus:
While off to the west over Monte dark thunderclouds gathered
With his spurs deep in flanks it was clear that nothing else mattered
With nothing to spare in time’s narrow portal
We all turned to see Simmie Weston become immortal
Verse 2:
They were frozen in time; they were framed in blue lightnin’
And I knew in my mind he’d die tryin’ to fight him
As an oncoming semi laid hard on the horn
I saw the eyes of that bronc become lost and forlorn
Chorus
While off on the soft grassy shoulder a thousand black cattle
Bellowed in rhythm with thunder a song for the battle
At the last fleeting moment in time’s narrow portal
The bay horse decided Simmie Weston’s immortal
Verse 3:
Some men speak of legend I’ve told you no tale
The greatest bronc fighters would die rather than fail
But he rides today through time’s narrow portal
Through the Deseret sage…Simmie Weston, the immortal
Defenders Recording Company announces the release of SPIRIT RIDER, the eleventh studio recording from Singer/Songwriter Brenn Hill. Recorded at Spiral Studios of St George Utah and produced by Brenn Hill and Ryan Tilby , this Faith-Based collection of original songs and popular Hymns was released March 31st, 2015.
Featuring one of the West’s most dynamic solo artists surrounded by some of the music industry’s finest instrumentalists, SPIRIT RIDER gives bold insight to western life, the land, and the perspective of the Christian Cowboy.
“Spirit Rider” is a song that portrays the triumphant return of a fallen cowboy to his ranching family after a tragic and accidental death. “Guns A Blazin’” and “Daddies And Daughters” honor the deep love of a father for his children and “Land of No Return” reconnects an Angel with his family following a plane crash that left his “body in ruins ‘neath a stand of Douglas Fir.”
Popular Hymns like “How Great Thou Art” and “The Rugged Old Cross” are Cowboy Church Classics recorded in contemporary form while Andy Wilkinson’s “Power In the Wind” and Red Steagall’s “One Empty Cot In the Bunkhouse” leave you with visions of the Texas Canyons that inspired them.
If you love and long for the West, if the Mountain is your Church, and if Christ is your Beacon, SPIRIT RIDER will take you to high places.