Neil Young - The Old Homestead lyrics

Up and down the old homestead
The naked rider gallops through his head
And although the moon isn't full
He still feels the pull

Out on the floor where the cowboys dance
Approaching slowly at a glance
Here comes the shadow of his stance
The reins are falling from his hands

"Why do you ride that crazy horse?"
Inquires the shadow with little remorse
Just then a priest comes down the stairs
With a sack of dreams and old nightmares

"Who are you" the rider says
"You dress in black but you talk like a fed
You spout ideas from books that you've read
Don't you care about this guy's head?"

Just then the sound of hoofbeats was heard
And the sky was darkened
By a prehistoric bird
Who flew between the unfulfilled moon
And the naked rider to a telephone booth

We'll call the moon and see what's up
I've got some change in this little tin cup
They say that the shadow is growing dim
He needs some light to get back to him

Just one call should do it all
I'll carve this number on the
Wall with my beak

Flying feathers were all around
And the air was filled with a ringing sound
Two more birds, the second and the third
Came down from the sky to deliver the word

"Where have you been?" they
Said to the first "Get back to the clouds
We're dying of thirst
There's not enough time to make that call
Let's ditch this rider, shadow and all"

The sky was filled with the beautiful birds
Still on the ground some crying was heard
With his dime in his hand and
His hand on the dial
His ears were sweating as he forced a smile

Hoofbeats beating across the range
He rode through the night with
His cup of change
Tired and beaten, he fell into slumber
But up in the sky they still had his number

Up and down the old homestead
The naked rider gallops through his head
And although the moon isn't full
He still feels the pull

Still feels the pull still feels the pull
Still feels the pull still feels the pull