I SAW AN AD THEY NEEDED RIDERS
WIRY FELLOWS ABOUT 18
WILLING TO RISK LIFE AND LIMB DAILY
TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS PAY PER WEEK

70 MILE WE'D RIDE DAILY
STOPPING JUST TO CHANGE OUR MOUNTS
ST. JOE TO SACRAMENTO
FIVE DOLLARS TO MAIL A HALF AN OUNCE

CHORUS:

THUNDER BEFORE LIGHTENING
BEFORE YOU'D SEE US WE WERE GONE
THE PONY EXPRESS 1860
THE WHISTLING WIND WAS MY FAVORITE SONG
THUNDER BEFORE LIGHTENING
FOR 18 MONTHS WE MADE SOME NOISE
FRESH HORSES EVERY 15 MILES
THOUGHTS OF A MAN, HEART OF A BOY

ISSUED A BIBLE AND A SHOTGUN
SWORE NOT TO GAMBLE OR TO CURSE
ONLY ABOUT 100 RIDERS
BROUGHT THE NEWS OF WAR TO CALIFORNIA FIRST

AND I WAS AMBUSHED ON THE TRAIL
I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO DIED
LOST MY LIFE AND A SACK OF MAIL
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME RIDE

CHORUS

BRIDGE

THE MUSTANGS WERE PUT OUT TO PASTURE
BY IRON HORSES BELCHING COAL
AND MY NAME MAY BE FORGOTTEN
BUT WE STILL STIR YOUNG BOYS' SOULS

KATHY CARLSON COPYRIGHT 2002