Hey Barlow
Wyoming's Lonesome Trails: Hey Barlow's Escape
Lyrics
HEY BARLOW
Introduction: Addressing Barlow
Brenn Hill - Red Cliffs Press Music (BMI)
Song credits to Brenn Hill - Red Cliffs Press Music (BMI)
Verse 1:
Starting the first verse
Hey Barlow would you rather be huntin' a bear
Questioning Barlow's preference between hunting a bear and being with a woman
Than curled up in a cabin with a woman with long, dark hair
Suggesting Barlow might prefer solitude in nature over companionship with a woman
Would you rather be alone up there with a packstring in your hand
Asking if Barlow would rather be alone in the wilderness with a packstring
Crossin' the high creeks in the spring
Depicting Barlow crossing high creeks in the spring
Hey Barlow would you rather be settin' a camp
Asking if Barlow would choose setting up camp over romantic involvement
Than lovin' up on a woman by the light of a stained glass lamp
Implying Barlow's preference for solitude in nature rather than romantic intimacy
Would you rather be sippin' your whiskey by the light of a cracklin' fire
Describing Barlow enjoying whiskey by a crackling fire
Waitin' on whatever the mornin' brings
Barlow awaiting the uncertainty of the morning
Chorus:
Starting the chorus
Cause the whole world's gone to hell in the cities and the towns
Commentary on the troubled state of the world in cities and towns
People are all hung up on whether skin is white or brown
People are preoccupied with racial differences
So you might as well just disappear somewhere up in Wyomin'
Suggesting Barlow disappears into Wyoming as an escape
It's a helluva place to ride
Wyoming is described as an ideal place for riding
It's a heavenly place to be lonesome
Wyoming is a paradoxical place—both hellish and heavenly for solitude
Verse 2:
Starting the second verse
Hey Barlow would you rather be out on the road
Asking if Barlow prefers being on the road
On the sage highway to Jeffrey City haulin' one helluva load
Depicting Barlow hauling a heavy load on the sage highway
Listenin' to your cowboy tunes while the wind and the diesel whines
Listening to cowboy tunes while experiencing the sounds of wind and diesel
Lookin' forward to another fall
Anticipating another fall (season) on the road
Hey Barlow would you change if the woman was right
Questioning if Barlow would change his lifestyle for the right woman
Would you take an office job in town and be home every night
Implies a shift from Barlow's current cowboy lifestyle to an office job and settled life
Mowin' your lawn and weedin' your pasture thinkin' bout the old wild times
Depicts a mundane life—mowing lawn and reminiscing about past adventurous times
Man that just ain't you at all
Expresses that this settled life contradicts Barlow's true nature
Repeat Chorus
Repetition of the chorus
Bridge: Take your bay horse and a mule
Beginning of the bridge
You old bruin huntin' fool
Encouragement for Barlow to continue his adventurous, hunting pursuits
Damn you're cool
Complimenting Barlow's coolness
Final Chorus
Reiteration of the final chorus
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