Leaving the Dead and Wounded

I was living in Muscle Shoals (Ala.), the hit recording capital of the world at the time, trying to make it as a songwriter, when I had dinner at my cousin Norma Jean's house one evening. I was laying on the floor listening to the TV news when the correspondent said, about wherever the battle was going on in 1978, "The fighting was so intense they were leaving the dead and wounded behind." That comment sparked this lyric about war, the old West, love, trying to make it in the music business, and/or growing up in a small town. Reader's choice:

LEAVING THE DEAD AND WOUNDED

Challenging Boot Hill one more time.
Challenging the law of averages
By now the odds should be mine.
Going up against the lone one
This time I've got to win.
Hope it's not the wrong one
Just can't do it again.

Leaving the dead and wounded
Only the dead and wounded
Leaving the dead and wounded
Behind

The dead they just won't live
Ain't no use in trying
To change the way things are
Inside I think I'm dying.
The wounded keep on trying
But soon they stop believing
Thinking it's not worth the pain
The dream is deceiving

But I'm leaving the dead and wounded
Only the dead and wounded
Leaving the dead and wounded
Behind
Leaving the dead and wounded
Only the dead and wounded
Leaving the dead and wounded
Behind

Maybe it’s the strong that survive
And make it to the next cattle drive
Never look back over your shoulder
If you can’t weather the storm you get colder
Tomorrow fades into the sunset
Yesterday’s time to forget
A tenderfoot duped by fool’s gold
In this world a young man is old

So I’m leaving the dead and wounded
Only the dead and wounded
Leaving the dead and wounded
Behind

Copyright 1978 by Randy Hartley