Album: Kinky Friedman

Rapid City, South Dakota

(Kinky Friedman)
Just a ragged kid in overalls, he thumbed a ride one day
He told me, ¡°Anywhere you¡¯re going¡¯s on my way.¡±
But as we passed by Big Al¡¯s drive-in his eyes began to flash
He was leavin¡¯ Rapid City mighty fast.
He said, ¡°I hope to God she finds the good-bye letter that I wrote her
But the mail don¡¯t move so fast in Rapid City, South Dakota.¡±
Well, he left her just a blanket of snow upon the farm
And that don¡¯t keep your conscience very warm.
He said his friends were too durn country and his pa was too damn mean
And there weren¡¯t no money pumpin¡¯ gasoline.
And her gentle eyes, the merchandise of dreams the peddler sold her
Who left her there alone in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Now the reason he was goin¡¯, I ain¡¯t sure I could say,
Might¡¯ve been the rodeo in Santa F¨¦.
¡°There¡¯s a doctor in Chicago, I know she¡¯ll be all right ¡±
He told himself as he stared into the night.
And he said, ¡°I hope to God she finds the good-bye letter that I wrote her
But the mail don¡¯t move so fast in Rapid City, South Dakota.¡±
And all her people treatin¡¯ her just like they never knowed her
Lord, the winter¡¯s passin¡¯ slow in Rapid City, South Dakota.