There's years and roads and friends he'll never see again He'll never hit that dust and feel them busty bones again There won't be no more ladies shinin' buckles dancin' slow When he packs his riggin' one last time quits this rodeo And it's goodbye for good this time He's gonna let that leather crack just like the past he's left behind Growin' old, Lord, don't you know it's just a waste of time He's quit rodeo before and he's come back again 'Cause there's something in the ridin' makes the fallin' worth the pain There's a pride in knowin' that you can take a chance But it's sadder when you finally find it's never gonna last
And it's goodbye for good this time He's gonna let that leather crack just like the past he's left behind Growin' old, Lord, don't you know it's just a waste of time So I guess he'll work some stable sweatin' hired out To some young fool that ain't seen half the past he's leavin' now That feller will watch him work just like he thinks he's half a man And he'll spend his evenings dreamin' he could ride them bulls again And it's goodbye for good this time He's gonna let that leather crack just like the past he's left behind Growin' old, Lord, don't you know it's just a waste of time