DG
Little Joe, The Wrangler, will wrangle nevermore
DA7
His days with the roundup, they are o'er
DG
Was a year ago last April, when he rode into our camp
DA7D
Just a little Texas stray and nothin' more.
G
Was late in the ev'nin', when he rode into our camp
DA7
On a little Texas pony, he called Chaw
DG
With his brogan shoes and overalls, a tougher lookin' kid
DA7D
You never in your life before, had saw.
[Verse]
GD
His saddle was a Texas 'kack' built many years ago
A7
An O.K. spur on one foot, lightly swung
DG
With his pack rolled in a cotton sack, so loosely tied behind
DA7D
And a canteen from his saddle horn, was slung.
He said he had to leave his home, his (G) pa had married twice
DA7
His new ma whipped him every day or two
DG
So he saddled up old Chaw one night and "lit a shuck" this way
DA7A7
He said he'd try to paddle his own can- oe.
GD
He'd said if we would give him work, he'd do the best he could
A7
Tho' he didn't know straight up, about a cow
DG
So the Boss, he cut him out a mount and kindly put him on
DA7D
He sorta liked this little kid, some- how.
[Verse]
G
He learned to wrangle horses and learned to know them all
DA7
And get them in at daybreak, if he could
DG
And to trail the old chuck wagon and always hitch the team
DA7D
And help the "cookie" ev'nin's - rustle wood.
GD
We had hardly reached the Pecos, the weather it was fine
A7
We were camped down on the south side, in a draw
DG
When a 'Norther' commenced blowin' and we doubled up our guard
DA7D
It took ev'ryone of us, to hold them in.
[Verse]
G
Little Joe, The Wrangler, was called out with the rest
DA7
Scarcely had the little fellow reached the herd
DG
When the cattle, they stampeded, like a hail storm on, they fled
DA7D
And ev'ryone was ridin' for the lead.
GD
A- mid the streaks of lightnin', there was one horse up ahead
A7
He was tryin' to catch the leader in their speed
DG
It was Little Joe, The Wrangler, with a slicker o'er his head
DA7D
He was ridin' old Blue Rocket in the lead.
[Verse]
G
At last, we got them millin' and kinda quieted down
DA7
And the extra guards, back to the wagon, went
DG
But there was one a-missin', you could see it, at a glance
DA7D
Was our little Texas stray, poor wrangler Joe.
GD
Next mornin', just at daybreak, we found where Rocket fell
A7
Down in a washout, twenty feet be- low
DG
Be- neath his horse, his life was gone, his spur had rung its knell
DA7D
Was our little Texas stray, poor wrangler Joe.