Prairie Fire Lyrics - Marty Robbins

While drivin' a herd of cattle out in old Nebraska way 

Headin' east at Broken Bow one hot September day 

Tryin' to get to Omaha, we hoped to find a buyer 

We never counted in the odds of a western prairie fire 

A hot south wind was blowin' and the air was gettin' dry 

Somethin' far away was spellin' trouble in the sky 

Comin' closer was a sound that topped the devil's choir 

Then we knew we had to race a raging prairie fire 

When all at once a flame is seen a-lickin' at the sky 

And every heart is quicker and there's fear in every eye 

We'd just one chance to get away for there's no place to hide 

Gotta reach the river Platte, one inch deep and one mile wide 

The herd is gettin' tired but we've got no time to rest 

I try to clear the red dust that is gatherin' in my chest 

From ridin' tail on a thousand head with the weather gettin' dry 

The black cloud in the west is warning ride, ride, ride 

The roarin' heat is closer ashes fallin' by our side 

And every breeze is burnin' singin' with its warnin' cry 

We've got to reach the river but it's still ten miles or more 

And close behind us we can hear that wind infernal roar 

But fate had other plans for we lost that fatal race 

We lost for neither man nor beast could long keep up the pace 

The mighty Platte subdued its rage but none were there to rest 

We did our best to get away but only I am left 

Now, on the blackened prairie far as the eye can see 

The grim remains are there to show that God rules you and me 

Just one he left to tell the tale just one was his desire 

We lost our herd and thirty men to a raging prairie fire