The Gift

In old St. Louis over in Missouri
The mighty Mississippi, well, it rolls and flows
A son was born to Mary Russell
And it starts the legend every cowboy knows
Young kid Russell was born to wander
Ever westward he was bound to roam
Just a kid of sixteen in 1880
Up in wild Montana he found his home
God made Montana for the wild man
For the Piegan and the Sioux and Crow
Saved His greatest gift for Charlie
Said, «Get her all down before she goes
You gotta get her all down
'cause she’s bound to go.»
God hung the stars over Judith Basin
God put the magic in young Charlie’s hands
And all was seen and all remembered
Every shining mountain, every longhorn brand
He could paint the light on horsehide shining
The great passing herds of the buffalo
And a cow camp cold on a rainy morning
And the twisting wrist of the Houlihan throw
God made Montana for the wild man
For the Piegan and the Sioux and Crow
Saved His greatest gift for Charlie
Said, «Get her all down before she goes
You gotta get her all down
'cause she’s bound to go.»
When the Lord called Charlie to his home up yonder
He said, «Kid Russell, I got a job for you
You’re in charge of sunsets up in old Montana
'Cause I can’t paint them quite as good as you
And when you’re done, we’ll go out and have a few
And Nancy Russell will make sure it’s just two.»
God made Montana for the wild man
For the Piegan and the Sioux and Crow
Saved His greatest gift for Charlie
Said, «Get her all down before she goes
You gotta get her all down
'cause she’s bound to go.»