Album: Climbing! (1970)

License This Song 

• When the wagons leave the city
  For the forest and further on
  Painted wagon of the morning
  Dusty roads where they've gone
  Sometimes travelin´ through the darkness
  At the summer comin´ home
  Forcing faces by the wayside
  Look as if they hadn't known
  All the sad was in their eyes
  And the desert that´s dry
  In a country town
  Where the map was found
  Oh the dancing and the singing
  Oh the music when they play
  Oh the fire that they saw there
  On the grave of no return
  Sometimes they found it
  Sometimes they kept it
  Often lost in on the way
  Pawnee shadow to possess him
  Sometimes ride inside of day
  Oh the sad was in their eyes
  And the desert that´s dry
  In a country town
  Where the map was found
  Oh the sad was in their eye
  And the desert that´s dry
  In a country town
  Where the wagons bound Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

• James Mariani from Ocean Beach CaThe Jack Bruce version delivers like only a composer can land it.
• Eero Martin from Europe, FinlandAwesome, finaly I got facts, indeed.
• Paul S. from Pittsburgh, Pa.I usually like a certain website for their lyrics but they really mutilated the lyrics to this one so here they are if it's not too long to submit:
  
  When the wagons leave the city
  For the forest and further on
  Painted wagons of the morning
  Dusty roads where they have gone
  Sometimes traveling through the darkness
  Met the summer coming home
  Fallen faces by the wayside
  
  Looked as if they might have known
  
  Oh the sun was in their eyes
  And the desert was dry
  In the country town
  Where the laughter sounds
  
  Oh the dancing and the singing
  Oh the music when they played
  Oh the fires that they started
  Oh the girls with no regret
  Sometimes they found it, sometimes they kept it
  Often lost it along the way
  Fought each other to possess it
  Often died in sight of day
  
  Oh the sun was in their eyes
  And the desert was dry
  In the country town
  Where the laughter sounds
  
  Oh the sun was in their eyes
  And the desert was dry
  In the country town
  Where the laughter sounds
• Ed from Lebanon, NhOn Jack Bruce's own albums, he lists the title as "Theme *for* an Imaginary Western".
• Wayne from Plantation, FlThe lyrics are a big part of this tune, and are by Bruce's long-time songwriting partner and former beat poet, Pete Brown. Mountain performed the tune at Woodstock, and arguably it was a bit out of place given the better-known and more raucous tunes we associate with the festival. It's about as different from their Mississippi Queen type tunes as you can get, but Mountain was largely about the coming together of West's bluesy/earthy and Felix's lyrical/classical styles.

More Songfacts:

The Great PretenderThe Platters

The Pretenders are named after the 1956 song "The Great Pretender" by The Platters.

WonderwallOasis

Oasis didn't coin the term "Wonderwall." It's the title of a 1968 movie with a soundtrack by George Harrison. It was Harrison's soundtrack that got the band's attention.

Chelsea DaggerThe Fratellis

The Fratellis song "Chelsea Dagger" was named for their lead singer's wife - it was her burlesque name.

MusclesDiana Ross

Michael Jackson wrote the Diana Ross hit "Muscles," which he named after his pet boa constrictor.

Invisible TouchGenesis

The Genesis song "Invisible Touch" was inspired by the Prince-written Sheila E. track "The Glamorous Life."

No More I Love You'sAnnie Lennox

The Annie Lennox hit "No More I Love You's" is a cover, originally sung by a man.

Editor's Picks

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.

Women Who RockSong Writing

Evelyn McDonnell, editor of the book Women Who Rock, on why the Supremes are just as important as Bob Dylan.

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."