By Ken Hanson
You can see a cowboy walking down the street,
You might even hear him before that,
You can tell he’s a cowboy by the way he’s dressed,
From his boots way up to his hat.
That jingling that makes you look around,
Is made by his spurs of course,
They hang onto his boots and help him out,
While riding his favorite horse.
Those boots might be real shiny,
Made of ostrich or lizard or gator,
They could be just plain old cow hide,
They’ll probably get muddy sooner or later.
He will likely be wearing Levis or Wranglers,
Made with rivets and stitched real strong,
If they’re new they won’t have any rips or stains,
That won’t last for long.
He will probably have a big belt buckle,
One you can see from afar,
The really big gold ones were won riding bulls,
Proof of how tough they are.
He might have on a long sleeve shirt,
The kind with a western style,
With fancy pockets and pearl snap buttons,
The ones that make a cowgirl smile.
He will always have on a cowboy hat,
There’s never a doubt about that,
‘Cause when it comes to a cowboy’s attire,
The hat is where it’s at.
Nothing says more about a cowboy,
Than the kind of hat he will wear,
Some are classic country, some a little ratty,
Some will just make people stare.
Some hats are a fashion statement,
All nice and clean and new,
Some have been in the dirt of an arena,
Maybe still stained with poo.
The ladies will have a hat of their own,
One that compliments their feminine style,
With just the right curve of the brim,
The kind that makes a cowboy smile.
A cowboy hat has character,
No two are ever the same,
Some have feathers of peacocks or eagles,
Some are just kinda plain.
A cowboy hat is polite,
Watch one and you’ll see why,
It’ll tip as a greeting when opening a door,
Always when a lady walks by.
A cowboy hat is smart, it can tell the time,
It knows where the sun is too,
It’ll tilt to keep your face in the shade,
To keep it from burning you.
It knows what time of year it is,
It knows the season as well,
The straw ones come out in the summer,
The felt ones appeared after the leaves fell.
A cowboy hat is tough, I’ve seen ‘em fly off,
While riding a bull and fall to the ground,
I’ve seen it stomped into the dirt several times,
While that bull was spinning around.
When the ride was done that cowboy walks over,
To pick up his hat, and then,
He just knocks off the dirt, puts it back on,
And it’s ready to go again.
A cowboy hat is friendly,
It lets the whole world know,
What kind of man he is,
It isn’t just for show.
It says he’s an honest hardworking man,
That loves God, his family, and America too,
It says he’s a caring, trustworthy man,
One who will stand beside you.
A cowboy hat is resourceful,
There are many things it can do,
It can shelter a baby kitten that’s lost,
It can swat pesky flies too.
It can fan a flame when building a fire,
It can scoop up cold water for your horse,
Unless it’s one that’s made out of straw,
They’re not too good at that of course.
It can protect your modesty getting out of the bath,
It can wave down a cab for you,
There are hundreds of things its good at,
We’ve only got time for a few.
But most of all, a cowboy hat is reverent,
It worships The Lord as well,
Although it never says Amen,
Here is how you can tell.
The instant I say “Would you pray with me”,
That hat will jump off of your head,
It will rest in your hand while you bow to The Lord,
And the prayer is being said.
That lifelong companion you have on your head,
Will stick by you no matter what you do,
But the most important thing it does,
Every Sunday, it’s here in this Church with you.
