You can take him off the plains, but the plains live in him
Like a moccasin, sittin' with his river-bend venom
Gets into your blood and remains till you die

You can call him off the mountain, but the mountain stays callin'
Call him on his bluff, but he's always all in
Killin' coyotes, no, a country boy can survive

So where would you go when you need someone honest?
What would you wish if you only had a comet?
Would you understand, beauty of a barren land
If it wasn't for the hometown, home-now, plainsman?

You can take him off the river, but the river stays flowin'
Take him off the hook, but the fly stays floatin'
Have a trout jumpin' out, askin' where his old friend's been

You can take him off the saw, but the saw stays cuttin'
You can take him off the hammer, but the frame needs buttin'
Work his hands bloody, still come back for more

Now here you go, cut out runnin'
Bet you now, double or nothin'
You'll never find the beauty that'll beat this barren land
Or another like your hometown, home-now, plainsman

Honeysuckle choking out an old fence row
Heartwood yellow of a bois d'arc post
Feelin' that you got it right when you had the chance

She ain't gone if I can sit here with her
I feel her on the water with a cold chill shiver
Lorrie lit a cigarette and I just headed home

Where would you go when you need someone honest?
What would you wish if you only had a comet?
Would you understand the beauty of a barren land
If it wasn't for the hometown, home-now, plainsman?

Where would you go when you need someone honest?
What would you wish if you only had a comet?
Would you understand the beauty of a barren land
If it wasn't for the hometown, home-now, plainsman?