Ol' fox hound

[Spoken Intro – optional] “You ever see a hound run full tilt, like the wind was his kin? Yeah… now watch him slow, watch the years sit heavy on his back.” [Verse 1] Ol’ Fox Hound used to tear through the pine, Ears flappin’ wild, nose to the line. Every fox in the county knew his name, Chasin’ the dusk, playin’ the hunter’s game. [Chorus] But now his legs don’t run like they did, And his eyes hold the dusk where the morning hid. Ol’ Fox Hound, don’t you cry tonight, The moon still calls, even if you’re not light. [Verse 2] Whiskey nights on a cabin porch, He’d howl to the stars, he’d ride the torch. Now he sleeps by the fire, dreams of the chase, Time’s got its paw prints all over his face. [Verse 3] The creek don’t run as fast as before, The hills are silent, the foxes soar. He remembers the laughter, the wind on his fur, Now he limps through the meadow, the memories stir. [Chorus] But now his legs don’t run like they did, And his eyes hold the dusk where the morning hid. Ol’ Fox Hound, don’t you cry tonight, The moon still calls, even if you’re not light. [Verse 4] He once led the pack through snow and rain, Every stumble, every scar, every gain. Young hounds now look to him with awe, He teaches them still, though he’s lost some paw. [Bridge 1 – scratchy, emotional] Every hunter’s heart knows what it means, To feel your fire slow, to fade from the scenes. But you’re still the king of those old, old trails, Even if time’s got you held in its sails. [Verse 5] The wind carries whispers of hunts long gone, The fireflies blink like the first light of dawn. He scratches the earth, lifts his tired head, The chase is in him, though his legs have fled. [Chorus – growl/scratchy] Legs may falter, but your spirit’s still free, Eyes still shine with the fox-hunt legacy. Ol’ Fox Hound, don’t you cry tonight, The moon still calls, even if you’re not light. [Bridge 2 – reflective, soft then swelling] The stars know the stories he’ll never tell, Of foxes outrun, of woods he knew well. A life in the wild, a life fully found, Still beats in the heart of ol’ Fox Hound. [Chorus – final, passionate] Though his steps are slow and his coat is grey, His soul runs free where the foxes play. Ol’ Fox Hound, lift your weary eyes, The hunt goes on under endless skies. [Outro – soft, reflective] So rest your head, let the night come around, Dream of the chase, ol’ Fox Hound.