Young Flankers Are Hard to Come By Chords by Red Steagall

_ [G] _ _ [G#] _ _ [D] _ _ [B] _
_ [E] _ _ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ _
I hailed from West Texas where [A] the cowboys [D] still keen
[G] That's all that I wanted [D] to be _ _
I'd watch them ride by sitting tall in [Bm] the saddle
[E] And dreaming one day [A] that's me
I [Bm] got my first rope [A] when I was [D] just five
I [G] could catch something each time [D] I threw _
I [G] rode fence posts [B] and dogs [D] and chickens [B] and cats
[E] And occasional young gold [A] or two
[Em] _ _
[Bm] Like [A] every young man in our part of the West
Where the [G] ranches work horses [D] and men
_ [A] _
[D] Oh a [A] summer ranch job [D] meant you caught the brass ring
[E] You'd never see poor Dave [E] again
_ [B]
I [D] was strong as an ox [Em] I could flank a big cat
[G] But I wanted the rope [E] instead _ _
[G] I asked the [A] boss one day [D] if I could [B] drag cats
[E] And I'll never [A] forget what [D] he said
He [G] said, son relax [D] it'll soon be [F#] your turn
[G] When you're too [Am] old to ride the [D] rough stream
[Bm]
When [G] your hips [A] and your knees [Bm] start to give in [D] you fits
Your steps getting shorter [A] each spring
[C]
Those [Bm] old men you admire earned their place in the sun
[Em] [G] You'll earn your spurs in [B] good time
[F#] _
[G] Behind [F#] every tree's an old man [B] who can rope
[E] Young flankers [A] are hard [D] to come by _
_ [G] _ _ [G#] _ _ [Bm] _ _ [B] _
_ [E] _ _ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ _
_ Years have gone by and I've got my own strength
[G] I hired a new feller [D] last week _
A reflection of me [Bm] back when I was still young
[E] A youngster I sure [Em] hope to keep
[A] _
[D] Cause the boy's got good manners and can handle a horse
[Em] He's at home with a rope [D] in his hand _
[G] He has all [A] the talent [D] to make [B] a good cowboy
[E] And his crawls full of gravel and sand
[C#] _
[D] This morning we gathered a big bunch of cows
[G] And drove them to Battle [D] Creek Penn
[E]
We [D] got the iron pot and he joined the [A] ground crew
[E] He grabs him a big one and [C#] grins
[B] Then just [D] after dinner we were taking a break
[G] I could see the boy coming [B] my way
[E] _
[G] And I knew what he wanted [Bm] before he [B] sat down
[E] And I practiced [A] what I [D] had to [A] say
I [G] said son relax, [D] it'll soon be your turn
[G] When you're too old to [Bm] ride the rough stream
[G] _
When your hips [A] and your knees [Bm] start to give [D] you fits
[E] Your step's getting shorter [A] each spring
[A#] _
[D] Those old men you admire earned their place in the sun
[Em] And you [G] earned your spurs [E] in good time _
_ [G] Behind every [A] tree's an old man [C#] who can rope
[E] Young [A] flankers are hard [D] to come by
[F#m] Yeah I said it, young [C#] flankers are hard to come by _
_ [E] Saddle up boys, [Em] we're burning daylight
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _