“The Lone Star Will Stop Shining” — Songs of Will T. Massey

An early Chicago House crowd-pleaser Will recorded on his 1989 cassette release, Kickin’ Up Dust. Will stopped performing this song many years ago, unlike some others from the same era, essentially retiring this one before his eponymous MCA release. I still like its raw Texas swagger as well as the name-checking of Texas icons, places, and traditions.

Well, when a fiddle can’t be found,
And a country song ain’t sung,
When the legend of Davy Crockett
Ain’t told to our young.
When the dance halls all close,
And pick-ups ain’t in style
And your neighbor’s too busy
To sit on your porch awhile.
When a helping hand ain’t returned to the sender…
Then Texans will be saying surrender.

When bluebonnets don’t bloom
And the mockingbird don’t sing,
When Willie Nelson forgets how to strum his six-string.
When the men don’t tip their hats
And the ladies stop smiling…
Well, then the Lone Star will stop shining.

When the governor don’t wear boots
And barbed wire ain’t the rule
When a cowboy can’t two-step
Or shoot a rack of pool.
When the highways ain’t long
And the farmers don’t grow cotton,
When ‘Yee-Haw!”s ain’t heard
And Bob Wills is forgotten,
When the summer sun don’t make you sweat
And prayers ain’t said for rain,
Well, you can haul us all up to New York
And we won’t wanna complain.

When bluebonnets don’t bloom
And the mockingbird don’t sing,
When Willie Nelson forgets how to strum his six-string.
When the men don’t tip their hats
And the ladies stop smiling…
Well, then the Lone Star will stop shining.

When they don’t drink beer in Luckenbach
And the Lubbock wind don’t blow,
When the Concho River
Don’t flow through Angelo
When Kerrville ain’t your friend
And rodeos ain’t in our prime,
When Brady ain’t the heart,
And Austin ain’t a good time…
(insert crowd cheering)

And when bluebonnets don’t bloom
And the mockingbird don’t sing,
When Willie Nelson forgets how to strum his six-string.
When the men don’t tip their hats
And the ladies stop smiling…
Well, then the Lone Star will stop shining.

Well, Lord, keep the Lone Star shining.