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

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