The Cowboys' Christmas Ball Lyrics & Chords By The Killers

Way out in ol' Nevada
Where the Truckee's waters flow
Where the cattle are a-browsin'
And the Spanish ponies grow
Where the northers come a-whistlin'
From beyond the Neutral Strip
And the prairie dogs are sneezin'
As if they had the grippe
Where the coyotes come a-howlin'
Round the ranches after dark
And the bluebirds are singin’
To the lovely meadowlark
Where the bighorns are a-grazin'
And the lonely plovers call
It was there that I attended
The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball

The boys had left the ranches
And come to town in piles
The ladies kinda scatterin'
Had gathered in for miles
The room was togged out gorgeous
With mistletoe and shawls
And candles flickered frescoes
Around the airy wall
The women-folk looked lovely
The boys looked kinda treed
Till the leader got to yellin'
Hey fellers, let's stampede
And the music started sighin’
An' a-wailin’ through the hall
As a kind of introduction
To The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball

Their leader was a feller
That came from Swenson's Ranch
They called him Windy Billy
From little Deadman's Branch
His rig was kinda careless
Big spurs and high-heeled boots
He had the reputation
That come when a feller shoots
His voice was like a bugle
Upon a mountainous height
His feet were animated
In a mighty movin’ sight
When he commenced to hollerin'
Now fellers, stake your pen
Lock horns with all them heifers
An' rustle ‘em like men
Salute yer lovely critters
Now swing an' let ‘em go
Climb the grapevine round ‘em
All hands do-si-do!
You mavericks, join the round-up
Just skip her waterfall
Huh! It was gettin' happy
The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball

Don’t tell me 'bout cotillions
Or Germans no sirree
That whirl at Carson City
Just takes the cake with me
I’m sick of lazy shufflins
Of them I’ve had my fill
Just give me a frontier breakdown
Backed up by Wild Bill

McAllister ain't nowhere
When Windy leads the show
I’ve seen 'em both in harness
And so I sorta know
Oh, Bill, I shan't forget ya
And I'll oftentimes recall
That lively gaited soirée
The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball
Oh, Bill, I shan't forget ya
And I'll oftentimes recall
That lively gaited soirée
The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball