Michael Kahn

How The West Was Won

What they found that winter morning

In the stream on Sutter’s mill

Set the flood that just kept flowing

Rivers rolling down a hill

 

Men came in from near & far

Every man a king to be

One good mule, a pick, a spade

A bag of beans would set them free

 

A lot of good men were laid to rest

But that’s how we won the west

 

Goodbye my darling, please take care

You know I’m not chasing thrills

You heard the news it’s everywhere

There’s gold in them there hills

 

Kiss the kids and feed the horse

I will write when I have time

Just one year that’s all we need

When I return we’ll live so fine

 

I’m heading out into the setting sun

And that’s how the west was won

 

They came by boat or dusty trail

Over many a weary hill

Around the cape by wind-tossed sail

Through dark canyons they did spill

 

Brothers, cousins, saints, & sinners

From every walk of life they came

Farmers, cowboys, losers, winners

One and all could lay his claim

 

Every man jack tried his best

And that’s how we won the west

 

I spent all but my last dollar

On some whisky and some wine

Now the Irish Rose is saying

She will show me a good time

And I don’t think she’s lying

 

One year gone and not a thing

To show for all my work and pain

How can I go home this way

The town will say I left in vain

 

But California ain’t so bad

They say that crops will grow just fine

I’ll trade my pickaxe for a hoe

A piece of land that I’ll call mine

 

And one day I will tell my son

That’s how the west was won