I played the Red River Valley
And he'd sit out in the kitchen and cry
An' run his fingers through 70 years of livin'
An' wonder Lord, as ever, will that drill run dry?
We were friends, me an this old man
We were desperados waiting for a train
Desperados waiting for a train
He's a drifter, and a driller of oil wells
And an old-school man of the world
He told me how to drive his car when he's too drunk to
And he'd wink, and give me money for the girls
And our lives were like some old western movies
Desperados waiting for a train
Just desperados waiting for a train
Since I could walk, he'd take me with him
To a place called the Green Frog Cafe
There were old men, with beer-guts and dominoes
Lying about their lives while they play
I was just a kid, they called his sidekick
Desperados waiting for a train
Desperados waiting for a train
One day I looked up, and he's pushing 80
He's got brown tobacco stains all down his chin
To me he's one of those heroes of this country
Why is he all dressed up like some old men?
Drinkin' beer and playing Moon in 42
Desperados waiting for a train
We were desperados waiting for a train
The day before he died, I went to see him
I was grown, and he was almost gone
So we just closed our eyes and dreamed of supper kitchens
And sang another verse to that old song
Come on Jack, you know that son-of-a-gun's a-comin'.
Desperados waiting for a train
We were desperados waiting for a train
Like desperados waiting for a train
Just desperados waiting for a train