'OL JAKE

'ol Jake was a hard headed and mean dog
Tell 'em "way to me" and his eyes would just fog
He wanted to heel 'em just to make 'em moo
I had no choice but to tell 'em "that'll do"

Spring hadn't sprung and the mud was ankle deep
'ol Jake was a hang'n in the barn, not want'n to make a peep
Don't know how he knew, but there was trouble brew'n
The neighbors bull was in my pen, and man was I stew'n

It took me all morn'n to gather that bull up
All I needed now was the help of my pup
Sett'n on a slope, them pens was a muddy mess
For a regular dog, it hardly be a test

Even with them yearl'n heifers a ball'n
I'd run that bull in the trailer and get to haul'n
I whistled for 'ol Jake and he came a runn'n
I caught the look in them eyes when he was a come'n

Under the rail and into the pen he went
Them heifers scattered and the gate got bent
The bull swung round and stared him down
'ol Jake caught some mud on one eye and looked like a clown

That 'ol angus bull had no fear in his eyes
Dark clouds kept a gatherin till nothin else was in the sky
It started to rain just on que
It got cold and the wind, well it downright blew

I hunkered my hat down round my ears
I yelled at Jake and he just shifted gears
Mud was fly'n and the fight was on
Either the bull or Jake, one would be gone

"Down", "come by", "way to me" and "no"
I tried everything and Jake would just go and go
It wasn't pretty but it was like a dance
Jake got after that bull till he started to prance

A step here and and kick there
He'd charge and got noth'n but air
Then came the coup de grace
Jake wasn't interested in having a duel'n draw

From behind, 'ol Jake made a fateful leap
Down by the gate, he knew the hill was steep
He had the advantage and the bull was on the move
'ol Jake slipped in, timin just right, he found the groove

I was wrong to think he was just a heel'n
For the bull's sake, I hope he wasn't feel'n
I couldn't believe he gripped that bull's scrotum
His feet never touched the ground and he just held 'em

Past the bent gate and hit'n the rails and bang'n
The bull ran with the dog just a hang'n
Once in the trailer, 'ol Jake was kinda stuck
Either way, I had no plans for him to ride in the truck

That nasty mean dog wouldn't let go
The bull was in and now it started to snow
I glanced back at the fence and the gate
Everything was broken where that bull drug Jake

I jumped in the truck just as fast as can be
Down the hill, wheels a slip'n, safety chain free
I fishtailed and spun, I plowed and was a swerve'n
All the while from behind, that bull was a beller'n

Them four miles seemed like forever
My neighbor used to be freiendly, but this is how friendships get severed
With trailer in tow, I came storm'n up his drive
With what I heard from behind, I prayed all were still alive

He met me at the barn, all clean and dry
Jack, a crusty 'ol fart, with humor far too wry
He eyed me up and down and was just a grin'n
All he could say was "sure looks like you been a swim'n"

We opened the trailer, I yelled "look out Jack!"
The look on that man's face when he saw 'ol Jake hang'n from the sack
For make'n a mess o things, Jake was a real who's who
There ain't noth'n left but to tell him "that'll do"