The Greatest Cowboy Of Them All (Album Version)-Johnny Cash

[ti:The Cremation Of Sam McGee] [ar:Johnny Cash] [al:Personal File] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.55]There are strange things done 'neath the midnight sun [00:02.98] [00:03.61]By the men who moil for gold [00:05.54] [00:06.33]The arctic trails have their secret tales [00:08.63] [00:09.32]That would make your blood run cold [00:11.13] [00:12.19]The northern lights have seen queer sights [00:14.37] [00:15.25]But the queerest they ever did see [00:17.99]Was that night on the marge of Lake LeBarge [00:20.74]I cremated Sam McGee [00:22.11] [00:23.67]Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee [00:25.66] [00:26.47]Where the cotton blooms and blows [00:28.22] [00:28.84]Why he left his home in the south to roam [00:31.27]'Round the pole God only knows [00:32.65] [00:33.27]He was always cold but the land of gold [00:36.33]Seemed to hold him like a spell [00:38.76]Though he'd often say in his homely way [00:41.01] [00:41.76]That he'd sooner live in Hell [00:43.51] [00:44.94]On a Christmas day we were mushing our way [00:47.93]Over the Dawson trail [00:49.18] [00:49.81]Talk of your cold through the parka's fold [00:53.49]It stabbed like a driven nail [00:55.05] [00:55.80]If our eyes we'd close then the lashes froze [00:58.98]'Til sometimes we couldn't see [01:00.66] [01:01.17]It wasn't much fun but the only one [01:03.22]To whimper was Sam McGee [01:04.85] [01:06.34]And that very night while we lay packed tight [01:08.96]In our robes beneath the snow [01:10.46] [01:11.33]And the dogs were fed and the stars o'er head [01:13.83]Were dancing heel and toe [01:15.33] [01:16.27]He turns to me and "Cap" says he [01:19.51]"I'll cash in this trip I guess [01:21.38] [01:22.01]And if I do I'm asking that you [01:24.44]Won't refuse my last request " [01:25.81] [01:27.62]Well he looked so low that I couldn't say no [01:30.87]Then he says with a sort of a moan [01:33.67]"It's the cursed cold it's got right hold [01:37.29]'Til I'm chilled clean through to the bone [01:39.98] [01:40.91]Yet tain't being dead it's my awful dread [01:43.47]Of an icy grave that pains [01:45.53] [01:46.47]So I want you to swear that foul or fair [01:50.46]You'll cremate my last remains " [01:52.71] [01:54.89]Well a friend's last need is a thing to heed [01:58.57]So I swore I would not fail [02:00.51]We started on at the streak of dawn [02:02.69]But God he looked ghastly pale [02:05.37] [02:06.69]He crouched on the sleigh and he raved all day [02:09.74]Of his home in Tennessee [02:10.32] [02:11.50]And before nightfall a corpse was all [02:14.12]That was left of Sam McGee [02:15.56] [02:18.55]There wasn't a breath in that land of death [02:20.36]And I hurried on horror driven [02:22.24] [02:23.30]With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid [02:25.54]Because of a promise given [02:27.16] [02:28.09]It was lashed to the sleigh and it seemed to say [02:30.84]"You may tax your brawn and brains [02:33.96] [02:34.83]But you promised true and it's up to you [02:37.64]To cremate these last remains " [02:39.64] [02:41.82]Now a promise made is a debt unpaid [02:44.94]And the trail has its own stern code [02:47.19] [02:47.88]In the days to come though my lips were numb [02:50.68] [02:51.25]In my heart how I cursed that load [02:54.24]In the long long night by the lone firelight [02:57.42]While the huskiers round in a ring [03:00.04]Howled out their woes to the homeless snows [03:02.67]Oh God How I loathed the thing [03:05.16] [03:06.72]And every day that quiet clay [03:08.78]Seemed to heavy and heavier grow [03:10.34] [03:11.15]But on I went though the dogs were spent [03:13.96]And the grub was getting low [03:15.52]The trail was bad and I felt half mad [03:18.70]But I swore I would not give in [03:21.32]And I'd often sing to the hateful thing [03:23.76] [03:24.50]And it harkened with a grin [03:26.50] [03:27.19]Then I came to the marge of Lake LeBarge [03:30.18]And a derelict there lay [03:32.30]It was jammed in the ice but I saw in a trice [03:35.49]It was called the "Alice May" [03:37.36] [03:37.92]And I looked at it and I thought a bit [03:40.09]And I looked at my frozen chum [03:41.96] [03:42.52]Then "Here" said I with a sudden cry [03:45.58]"is my cre-ma-tor-eum " [03:47.52] [03:48.70]Some planks I tore from the cabin floor [03:50.95]And I lit the boiler fire [03:52.76]Some coal I found that was lying around [03:55.69]And I heaped the fuel higher [03:58.19]The flames just soared and the furnace roared [04:00.49]Such a blaze you seldom see [04:02.56]Then I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal [04:04.87]And I stuffed in Sam McGee [04:06.55] [04:07.30]Then I made a hike for I didn't like [04:09.73]To hear him sizzle so [04:11.42]And the heavens scowled and the huskies howled [04:13.72]And the wind began to blow [04:15.53]It was icy cold but the hot sweat rolled [04:18.16]Down my cheeks and I don't know why [04:20.96] [04:21.59]And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak [04:23.65]Went streaking down the sky [04:25.27] [04:27.39]I do not know how long in the snow [04:29.58]I wrestled with grisly fear [04:31.13] [04:31.70]But the stars were out and they danced about [04:34.82]'Ere again I ventured near [04:36.81]I was sick with dread but I bravely said [04:39.75]"I'll just take a peek inside [04:41.74] [04:42.43]He's probably cooked and it's time I looked " [04:45.30]Then the door I opened wide [04:47.36]And there sat Sam looking cold and calm [04:50.60]In the heart of the furnace roar [04:52.85]He wore a smile you could see a mile [04:55.28]And he said "Please close that door [04:56.78]It's fine in here but I greatly fear [04:59.61]You'll let in the cold and storm [05:01.23]Since I left Plumtree down in Tennessee [05:05.29]It's the first time I've been warm " [05:07.41] [05:09.28]There are strange things done 'neath the midnight sun [05:11.97]By the men who moil for gold [05:13.71] [05:14.52]The arctic trails have their secret tales [05:16.58] [05:17.14]That would make your blood run cold [05:19.20] [05:19.95]The northern lights have seen queer sights [05:22.57]But the queerest they ever did see [05:24.57] [05:25.25]Was that night on the marge of Lake LeBarge [05:28.25]I cremated Sam McGee