Hats Off

(R.Owen)



The stage is set tonight down in Nashville

It's been a long hard ride into town

And thanks to some cowboys and heroes

My chance to sing has finally come around.



The first song I ever sang was Haggard's

Momma sang to me, ''I Saw the Light''

And I'd turn my radio up louder

To hear Johnny Cash, ''Walk the Line.''



Mmmm

Ol' Waylon sang the songs about ''Texas''

Willie's blue eyes, ''Cryin' in the Rain''

Bocephus sang the songs about ''Dixie''

And Lefty taught us all how to sing.



Chorus:

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys

Riding somewhere tonight

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys

Wanted, dead or alive.



Well, Charlie ran the ''Devil Out of Georgia''

Skynyrd sang of ''Sweet Home Alabam'

The Allman Brothers taught us how to ramble

And the Tucker boys showed us how to jam.



Chorus:

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys

Riding somewhere tonight

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys

Wanted, dead or alive.



Well, the stage is set tonight up in Heaven

And Reba's band is there with Patsy Cline

And all around there's cowboys and cowgirls

And thanks to them the music's still alive.



Chorus:

Hats off to hard ridin' cowboys

Flyin' somewhere tonight

Hats off to hard flyin' cowboys

Wanted, dead or alive...



--- Instrumental as humming in background to fade ---