Promontory Rider – Jerry Garcia (originally by Robert Hunter)

Promontory rider
What makes you ride so high?
To put a loving star
Back in an empty sky
Once the wind was warm and sweet
The ladies in lace
But up there on the prominence
The tears just freeze your face
Promontory rider – territory ranger… step up

Found a stack of blank pictures
A passport out of hell
Left here by a stranger
Seemed to wish me well
Signed, promontory rider
Territory ranger
Asking: can you thread a needle?
Can you shoot the moon?
Walk the silver screen
To your judgement at high noon
Like any promontory rider?
Territory ranger… step up

Ride on, ride on, ride

Ride upon the high ground
Ride upon the low
Promontory rider
What makes you ride so slow?
Fit me out with heart and wings
And fill my head with crowns
I been crawlin’ in this hill
But now I’m rolling down
Promontory rider – territory ranger… step up

Promontory rider
You used to ride so high
I don’t know these days
Just seem to ride on by
Once the wind was warm and sweet
But this must be your taste
You don’t change this chilly range
For any other place
Promontory rider – territory ranger
Ride on, ride on… step up

Moving on the high ground
Moving on the low ground
Promontory rider
Stepping up so high now… step up

Promontory rider
What makes you ride so high?
To pluck a loving star
From out an empty sky
But promontory rider
That was many years ago
Moving on the high ground
Moving on the low

Promontory rider, ride on, ride on
Territory ranger, ride on, ride
Step right up and put that loving star
Right back inside that empty sky
Promontory rider, ride on, ride on
Territory ranger… step up