Black Joe
Brenn Hill (Defenders Recording CoBMI)

Verse 1:
Out on the fringes of the Winecup
Many long years ago
Was a big black mustang stud
Name of Big Black Joe

He was the keeper of the brood mares
He ruled the east Owyhee
And ev'ry wooly buckaroo that rode there
Wanted the skull of that caballo

Chorus:
Black Joe stud
Devil in mustang blood
Keep your eyes on the far horizon
Or he'll come and stomp you in the mud
The Black Joe Stud

Verse 1:
My little sister and my father
Gathering down along the river
When down the walls of the black canyon
Danced a ghostly knicker

She rode a little buckskin mare
He said little girl ride away hard!
He dug his ol' Garcias into an old thoroughbred gelding
And rode straight toward

Repeat Chorus

Hellbent to save his little girl
He T boned that old stallion on the slide
And they all fell twistin' and turnin'
Through dust and brush and horse hide

And as my father got back to his feet
He took the reigns of his big thoroughbred steed
But he took one front slashin' hoof to the back
Turned around and all he could see

Repeat Chorus

Along the breaks of the Owyhee River
They fought and chased for an hour
Til the whinnie of one of his broodmares
Made the old black stud herd sour

Father rode back to headquarters
Bleedin' from a slash above his eye
Grateful to God to find his little girl alive
Sworn to see a mustang die

Repeat Chorus

Twelve buckaroos mounted fresh horses
Rode for the range along the river
Tracked west to the foothills of the Owyhees
And south across the barren desert

On the hard pan alkali moonscape
They lost the tracks of his herd
My father's 30-30 never left his scabbard
And he never said another word

Final Chorus