Prairie Fire
Escape from the Flames: Marty Robbins' Prairie Fire Saga
Lyrics
While drivin' a herd of cattle out in old Nebraska way
Driving cattle in Nebraska, facing challenges
Headin' east at Broken Bow on a hot September day
Heading east in Broken Bow on a hot September day
Tryin' to get to Omaha we hoped to find a buyer
Trying to reach Omaha to sell cattle
We never counted in the odds of a western prairie fire
Unprepared for the threat of a prairie fire
A hot south wind was blowin' and the air was gettin' dry
Hot wind and dry air signal trouble
Somethin' far away was spellin' trouble in the sky
Sensing trouble in the sky
Comin' closer was a sound that topped the devil's choir
Approaching danger with a menacing sound
Then we knew we had to race a raging prairie fire
Racing against a raging prairie fire
When all at once a flame is seen a-lickin' at the sky
Flames suddenly appear in the sky
And every heart has quickened and there's fear in every eye
Fear grips everyone
We'd just one chance to get away for there's no place to hide
Only one chance to escape, heading for the Platte River
Gotta reach the river Platte one inch deep and one mile wide
Must reach the wide river for safety
The herd is gettin' tired but we've got no time to rest
Herd tired, no time to rest
I try to clear the red dust that is gatherin' in my chest
Struggling with the effects of the dry weather
From ridin' tail on a thousand head with the weather gettin' dry
Riding with a thousand head of cattle
The black cloud in the west is warning, "Ride, ride, ride"
Black cloud warns to ride away from the approaching fire
The roarin' heat is closer ashes fallin' by our side
Intense heat, ashes falling, animals fleeing
And every beast and bird is fleein' with its warnin' cry
Desperation as the fire approaches
We've got to reach the river but it's still ten miles or more
Goal is the Platte River, still miles away
And close behind us we can hear that wild infernal roar
Hearing the roar of the fire behind
But fate had other plans, for we lost that fatal race
Fate intervenes, losing the race to the fire
We lost for neither man nor beast could long keep up the pace
Neither man nor beast could keep up
The mighty Platte subdued its rage but none were there to rest
Platte River calms down, but no one survived
We did our best to get away but only I am left
Trying their best to escape, only one survivor
Now on the blackened prairie, far as the eye can see
Blackened prairie as a testament to God's rule
The grim remains are there to show that God rules you and me
Remains show the power of nature
Just one he left to tell the tale just one was his desire
One survivor left to tell the tale
We lost our herd and thirty men to a raging prairie fire
Loss of herd and men to a devastating prairie fire
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