I was south of El Paso hadn't got very far I was hot on the trail of A wandering star It was high in the heavens like a giant balloon It was caught in the shadows of the Blood Red Full Moon
I set out on the trail of That wandering star I followed it closely Heard a tale in a bar When the moon was in season and the Blood Moon hung low That wandering star Would show where to go
It was up in the rock face That I found a trail mark The moon shone upon it Even though it was dark It showed the direction To get away from the wind Something evil was brewing It was set to begin
I didn't hear cricket nay, there wasn't a sound All of nature was hiding There was nothing around The moon it hung lower Red as jam in a jar And there in the shadows Was the wandering star
I found shelter and bunked down There was nowhere to go The temperature dropped fast You knew soon there'd be snow The trail would be hidden In the light of the day I'd wait for the star to come out and show me the way
Two days we kept moving Our goal was nearly in sight The snow kept on coming We moved only at night I was just three more miles It wasn't really that far We'd been shown by the moon and by the wandering star
I awoke in the morning The sun was red as the moon the wind was still howling It played a wicked old tune I could see in the distance Of what the old drunkard said I'd found an old grave yard That housed the Parmalee dead
You see, I was family They'd come out from the east They'd died in the winter they said the storm was a beast They were buried and left here Under a ****** red moon The wind was still blowing It's bitter cold tune
I painted the fences I cleared the snow from the graves Even though they were gone Their memory was saved I'd stay here till the spring time Put fresh paint on each cross Naming each single one That our family lost
I came here each season Left El Paso to ride It was just a deep feeling A feeling of pride They could not be forgotten Thanks to the tale in the bar I found all my kin with the wandering star.