In eighteen hundred and seventy three
Old Charlie Goodnight hired me
He said young man I'll have you go
And drive this herd to New Mexico

On the goodnight lovin' trail you never get your mail at all
You get no goodnight lovin' on the goodnight loving trail

I left my girl in a Texas town
Said I'm too young to settle down
She cried and begged me not to go
But I rode off to New Mexico

On the goodnight lovin' trail...

Naconah Chief and all his braves
They hit the herd and they stole some strays
We shot 'em down with musket ball
And we scalped them devils ears and all

On the goodnight lovin' trail...

The steers got weak they could hardly bawl
But we reached Fort Sumner in the fall
We sold the herd to the government
But I didn't get home with a doggone cent

On the goodnight lovin' trail...