His eyes are cold and restless
His wounds have almost healed
And she'd give half of Texas
Just to change the way he feels
She knows his love's in Tulsa
And she knows he's gonna go 
Well, it ain't no woman, flesh and blood 
It's that damned old rodeo

Well, it's bulls and blood
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd 
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round 
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo 
It's the ropes and the reins 
And the joy and the pain 
And they call the thing rodeo

She does her best to hold him
When his love comes to call
But his need for it controls him
And her back's against the wall
And it's "So long girl, I'll see you"
When it's time for him to go
You know the woman wants her cowboy
Like he wants his rodeo 

Well, it's bulls and blood 
It's dust and mud 
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd 
It's the white in his knuckles 
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps 
It's cowboy hats 
It's spurs and latigo 
It's the ropes and the reins 
And the joy and the pain 
And they call the thing rodeo 

It'll drive a cowboy crazy 
It'll drive the man insane 
And he'll sell off everything he owns 
Just to pay to play her game 
And a broken home and some broken bones 
Is all he'll have to show 
For all the years that he spent chasin' 
This dream they call rodeo 

Well, it's bulls and blood 
It's dust and mud 
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd 
It's the white in his knuckles 
The gold in the buckle 
He'll win the next go 'round 
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo

It's the broncs and the blood 
It's the steers and the mud
And they call the thing rodeo