Utah Phillips
Dog Canyon
Ten thousand shorthorns are moving in fast
They drink lots of water, they eat lots of grass;
Your penny stockbrokers have made quite a change
Now our old outfit's drove to the edge of the range

In Canyon del Perro there's grapes on the vine
The water runs sweet as an old Spanish wine
The high Tularosas they make a fine home
For a man who don't mind living up there alone

Young Perry Altman was burned out last night
They shot George McDonald 'cause he wanted to fight
The days of the longhorn are over I guess
When your syndicate gunmen have run out the rest

Way up in Dog Canyon old Frenchie holds out
Half-blind and crippled but he never knows drouth;
He has good water. Tell me what would you do
If you had to protect it from Billy McNew?

He dreams of a village where the sun always shines
And he dreams of his family when it comes Christmas time
Now he dreams in his doorway with a gun in his hand
And Oliver Lee says "You crazy old man."

Well Frenchie he fires but the shot it goes wide
He falls to the floor with a hole in his side
And his water runs down to the ranches below
When the high Tularosas are covered with snow