Full Moon Pass
Full Moon Pass
I can see the mountains, so far away
Through the clouds and snow.
It looks like they’re a 3-day ride
Travel’s going slow
The wind is blowing, I shut my eyes
I know that if I stop, I’m bound to die.
10 below, it can’t get worse
Since I left my girl, I feel like I’ve been cursed.
Chorus:
Oh, I tarried there too long
Leaving was the hardest thing I’ve done.
Then this storm blew in so fast
I’m riding hard, to get to Full Moon Pass.
Winter’s always hard up here
The cattle can’t survive
The lower pasture’s ready
If I can get them there in time.
A wager that I shouldn’t make.
A shortcut up ahead that I could take
A fix I got myself into
Decisions, once made, I can’t undo
Chorus
Bridge:
I stayed too long; knew I should go
Her love like I’ve never known.
If I survive this storm tonight
I’ll keep her for my own.
Last chorus and add:
These thoughts of her, hope they won’t be my last.
Full Moon Pass – This song was originally titled “Wolf Creek Pass”, but then a friend told me about a ridiculous comedy song from about 1975 with the same title, so we changed it to Full Moon Pass. It’s a cowboy tragedy song. I verified the situation in the song with that same friend of mine who grew up on a ranch in Colorado. When I asked my friend about this song, he also said that the cowboy had shirked his responsibility and pretty much got what he deserved. Accurate if a little harsh. This song was written pretty quickly. I love Scott’s production on this song, he gives it the weight and depth that makes the listener feel the situation. I had a hard time singing this song in the key I wrote it in, and really should have changed the key slightly so that I could better give more emotion to the cowboy’s voice – but then again old-time cowboys are pretty stoic. The setting of this song is late 1800’s. Leslie and I, along with our friend Lee Buchanan, wrote a companion piece to this song titled “The Empty Chair” which will be on the next album.