D G D G
My name is Tommy Luther, I'll soon be 84
D G A
I'll show you a little picture I keep tucked in this old drawer
G A D Bm
60 years ago, boys, I rode for the Diamond team
D G A D
Sailing by, eight feet high on horses quick as dreams
Well I joined up with the races when they came through Alabam
They had a good young rider, just a boy, named Sandy Graham
We were two kids run away from home when the world was breaking down
Didn't stay to see the family sell the farm and move to town
From Detroit to Tijuana to Annapolis we rode
They called us rookies "bug boys", we were just 16 years old
We were worth a couple of saddles and two big bags of grain
The big men owned the horses and they owned us just the same
60 years ago, boys, I rode for the Diamond team
Sailing by, eight feet high on horses quick as dreams
Well it's Winnipeg and it's raining but the track's not looking bad
They gave me Irish Princess, Sandy rode on Vesper Lad
We were flying down the backstretch my horse was running proud
I pulled ahead of Sandy when a roar came from the crowd
I crouched as Irish Princess thundered across the line
And then I stood and turned around to see that friend of mine
Vesper Lad was standing still there must have been a fall
And in the mud lay Sandy looking lifeless as a doll
Well a crowd ran up to Sandy, they scooped him off the track
They took him to the office with shattered ribs and back
At the hospital next morning I sat by Sandy's side
But the season would be ending soon and then I'd have to ride
Mandolin
Just a coupla days past Danville, word came down the line
Sandy'd lost his struggle, we hung our heads and cried
It was poor old Mother Harris from the boarding house in town
Who paid for the little casket and layed him in the ground
I sent a couple of dollars, it was all that I could save
She drew me a little picture of the lonely rider's grave
I've kept it in my bedroom drawer all these 60 years
I still see that crumpled body now but I'm too old for tears
My name is Tommy Luther, I'll soon be 84
I'll show you a little picture I keep tucked in this old drawer
Chorus
Sailing by, eight feet high on horses quick as dreams