My family left home when I was a child To head out West, all open and wild I couldn't wait to ride the prairie on a pony But we passed over the plains and on down Into the great suburban stucco forest The people there all held my dreams in jest Somehow I grew to spite them Way out West My first love came West to play and to sing But he soon left the hearts-and-flowers scene He started to hang around the ranch And then he went with the Wild West Show He became one of the bunch He gave them all, all his very best He's riding high somewhere Way out West Then I fell in with a rounder who's always on the move But he wanted to make, instead of give, love He wouldn't hear of love as a gift, instead He used his cruelties, and his remedies To come down heavy on my head He'll only stay where he can be a guest He lives one day at a time Way out West My family left home when I was a child To head out West, all open and wild I still can't wait to ride the prairie on a pony I'm gonna head back out to the rolling plains And leave behind the great stucco forest I'll be using all these stormy nights for rest For my daybreak journey Way out West Way out West Way out West