American Remains (Album Version)

American Remains (Album) - Willie Nelson/Johnny Cash/Waylon Jennings/Kris Kristofferson

I am a shotgun rider for the San Jacinto line

The desert is my brother

My skin is cracked and dry

I was riding on a folk coach

And everything was fine

Till we took a shorter road to save some time

The bandits only fired once

They shot me in the chest

They may have wounded me

But they'll never get the best of better men

'Cause I'll ride again

I am a river gambler

I make a living dealing cards

My clothes are smoothed and honest

My heart is cold and hard

I was shuffling for some delta boys

On a boat for New Orleans

I was the greatest sharp they'd ever seen

But the captain bumped a sandbar

And an ace fell from my sleeve

They threw me overboard

As I swore I didn't cheat

But I could swim

And I'll ride again

We are heroes of the homeland

American remains

We live in many places

And answer many names

We will not be forgotten

We won't be left behind

Our memories live on

In mortal minds

And poets pens

We'll ride again

I am a midwest farmer

I make a living off the land

I ride a John Deere tractor

I'm a liberated man

But the rain it hasn't fallen

Since the middle of July

And if it don't come soon

My crops will die

The bankman says he likes me

But there's nothing he can do

He tells me that he's coming

But the clouds are coming too

He ain't my friend

And I'll ride agin

I am an American Indian

My tribe is Cherokee

My forefathers loved this land

They left it here for me

But the white men came with boats

And trains and dirty factories

Poisoned my existence with his deeds

Nature is our mother

We are suckling her breast

He who tries to beater down will lose her to the rest

They'll never win

I'll ride again

We are heroes of the homeland

American remains

We live in many places

And answer many names

We will not be forgotten

We won't be left behind

Our memories live on

In mortal minds

And poets pens

We'll ride again