The Man Who Steadies The Lead (1992 - Remaster) - Slim Dusty

He was born in the light of red oaths

And nursed by the drought and the flood

And swaddled in sweat lined saddlecloths and christened in spur drawn blood

Oh he never was burdened with learnin' and many would think him a fool

But he's mastered a method of turnin' that never was taught in a school

His manners are rugged and vulgar but he's nuggets of gold in our need

And a lightning flash in the mulga is the man who steadies the lead

Now when the stockwhips are ringing behind him and the brumbies are racing abreast

Oh it's 50 to 1 you will find him

A furlong to two from the rest

With the coils of his whip hanging idle

His eyes on the mob at his side

And the daintiest touch on the bridle for this is the man who can ride

And the stallions that break from the mallee will find he has courage and speed

For he rides the best horse in the valley this stockman who steadies the lead

When they're fetching in stores to the station through tangles of broken belahs

And the road is a rough calculation that's based on the blaze of a star

When they're quickening through sand ridge and hollow and rowels are splattered with red

And sometimes you've only to follow the sound of the hoof beats ahead

Then we know that he's holding them northward

Oh we trust in the man and his steed

And we hear the old brown crashing fall of

And his rider's wild yell to the lead

But when from a bend in the river the cattle break camp in the night

Oh then is the season if ever we value his services right

For we know that if some should be tardy

And some should be left in the race

Yet the spurs will be red on coolgardie as someone swings out to his place

And the mulga boughs hark to them breaking in front of the maddened stampede

And a horse and rider are taking their time honoured place in the lead

Now as an honest and impartial recorder I'd think have you all recollect

There are other brave men on the border entitled to every respect

There's the man who thinks buckin's a tame thing

And he rides them with lighted cigars

And the man who will drive any damn thing

That's ever been hooked to the bars

Oh their pluck and their powers are granted but all said and done we've agreed

That the king of 'em all when he's wanted is the man

Who steadies the lead

He was born in the light of red oaths

And nursed by the drought and the flood

And swaddled in sweat lined saddlecloths and christened in spur drawn blood

Oh he never was burdened with learnin' and many would think him a fool