The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
His eyes are cold and restless
And his wounds have almost healed
And she'd give half of Texas
Just to change the way he feels
She knows his love's in Tulsa
And she knows he's gonna go
But it ain't no woman flesh and blood
It's that damned old rodeo, oh
Well, it's bulls and blood
It's the dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in his buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
She does her best to hold him
When his love comes to call
But his need for it controls him and
her back's against the wall
And it's, "So long girl, I'll see you"
When it's time for him to go
You know the woman wants her cowboy
Like he wants his rodeo
Well, it's bulls and blood
It's the dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in his buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
It'll drive a cowboy crazy
It'll drive the man insane
And he'll sell off everything he owns
Just to pay to play her game
And a broken home and some broken bones
Is all he'll have to show
For all the years that he spent chasin'
This dream they call rodeo
Well, it's bulls and blood
It's the dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in his buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
It's the broncs and the blood
It's the steers and the mud
And they call the thing rodeo, whoa-whoa
And his wounds have almost healed
And she'd give half of Texas
Just to change the way he feels
She knows his love's in Tulsa
And she knows he's gonna go
But it ain't no woman flesh and blood
It's that damned old rodeo, oh
Well, it's bulls and blood
It's the dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in his buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
She does her best to hold him
When his love comes to call
But his need for it controls him and
her back's against the wall
And it's, "So long girl, I'll see you"
When it's time for him to go
You know the woman wants her cowboy
Like he wants his rodeo
Well, it's bulls and blood
It's the dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in his buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
It'll drive a cowboy crazy
It'll drive the man insane
And he'll sell off everything he owns
Just to pay to play her game
And a broken home and some broken bones
Is all he'll have to show
For all the years that he spent chasin'
This dream they call rodeo
Well, it's bulls and blood
It's the dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in his buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
It's the broncs and the blood
It's the steers and the mud
And they call the thing rodeo, whoa-whoa
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this song is great. i love going to rodeo's at Fox Hollow, every saturday night, and this song is just explaining the different things about the rodeo, and what says is very true.