there were signs of a struggle at the rodeo grounds
there was a body in the bleachers not making no sounds
blood in the grandstand, blood on the seats
the county cops called in the mounted police

there's trouble in the country, trouble country style
don't blink twice or you'll miss it by a country mile
trouble in the country, trouble country style
don't think twice or you'll miss it by a country mile

we took a bulldogger's money from him playin stook
but he's an oklahoma thug and he didn't want it took
pistol came out so we played some more
lost most of it back to him, headed for the door

tried to sell my cows but the border got closed
so we'll tighten up the belt and ride it out i spose
feedin calved out heifers and their young uns too
spending money on hay to feed beef i can't use

larry lost a thumb when he dallied too quick
at the jackpot ropin down on boundary crick
when we was all kids that's the first thing we learned!
that the reata bites and the saddle horn burns
so it's thumbs up, brother, when you take your turns
but when the money gets big people get hurt