Johnny Horton - Jim Bridger

Once there was a mountain man who couldn't write his name,

Yet he deserves a front row seat in history's hall of fame.

He forgot more about the Indians than we will ever know.

He spoke the language of the Sioux, the Blackfoot, and the Crow.



Let's drink to old Jim Bridger.

Yes, lift your glasses high.

As long as there's a USA,

Don't let his memory die.

That he was making history

Never once occurred to him,

But I doubt if we'd a-been here

If it weren't for men like Jim.



He spoke with General Custer and said, "Listen, yellow hair,

The Sioux are a great nation, so treat 'em fair and square.

Sit in on their war council, don't laugh away their pride,"

But Custer didn't listen. At Little Big Horn, Custer died.



Let's drink to old Jim Bridger.

Yes, lift your glasses high.

As long as there's a USA,

Don't let his memory die.

That he was making history

Never once occurred to him,

But I doubt if we'd a-been here

If it weren't for men like Jim.



There're poems and there're legends that tell of Carson's fame,

Yet, compared to Jim Bridger, Kit was civilized and tame.

These words are straight from Carson's lips, if you place such store by him:

"If there's a man who knows this god-forsaken land, it's Jim."



Let's drink to old Jim Bridger.

Yes, lift your glasses high.

As long as there's a USA,

Don't let his memory die.

That he was making history

Never once occurred to him,

But I doubt if we'd a-been here

If it weren't for men like Jim.