When Abilene was young and [bad word] 
And thunder storms filled up the day
The cattle roamed outside the town

Sleeping in the midday sun

Then tracks were lain across the plain
By broken old men in torrid rains
The towns grew up and the people were still

Sleeping in the midday sun

We all joined in and all joined hands
All joined in and ran this land
Then soldiers came, long long ago
Rode through the town and rode down those

Sleeping in the midday sun

Gold came and went, quickly spent
And the people broke down and often drowned
In the wealth and pain of old Abilene

Sleeping in the midday sun