Western Hearts from Fired by Bright Men of Learning

The way that I lose friends is the way that I lose air
Like a forest fire I burn through them
I never know what I am; I only know what I do
And what I do leaves ashes all around this town
Here's the story of my orange and yellow heart
Tried out for debate team just in time to make the tournament
I took the bus down and I threw my weight around
Forty-three years later I'm a senator in my office with the door closed

To keep myself out of the state
I do the best thing I can do
And every six years I come home
To prove my western heart is true

I tell the truth and I live without regret
That is what I told the high-school journalist
I remember the slight sounds of her tape recorder rolling
Capturing the water rights and protecting the home schoolers
Turn my fate around; I am a salesman, an attorney
I'm a turncoat on the fire escape with a belly full of scotch
My wife died of cancer and I drank with both her lovers
My daughters they are married and their husbands call me, "Senator, Senator."

To keep myself out of the state
I do the best thing I can do
And every six years I come home
To prove my western heart is true

Seat next to a firefighter's son
On a helicopter that I commandeered
Out for the cameras and campaign
Fly lower than we should
Over orange and yellow waves and over silent smoke
As I explain why we should let it burn
And it will take our lives
The firefighter's son and me, the pilot, and two journalists
We will be on TV
And they will pay respects
To them that lay down in the flames of necessary fires
To prove their lonesome hearts are true

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