Labour & Pop Culture: Night Guard

This week's installment of Labour & Pop Culture features “Night Guard” by Stan Rogers. I picked this agriculture-themed song because this week saw the annual Farmworkers Day gathering in Calgary to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by farm workers.

“Night Guard” tells us the tale of a retired bull rider who saved all his life to buy a farm. Now, someone is rustling the farmer’s cattle and threatening his livelihood. And the farmer can’t get any justice through the police so decides to settle matters himself.

Forty-four's no age to start again,
But the bulls were getting tough and he was never free of pain
Where others blew their winnings getting tanked,
Most of his got banked saving for the farm.

He never thought she'd wait for him at all.
She wanted more than broken bones and trophies on the wall;
But when he quit and finally got the farm,
She ran into his arms and now they've got a kid.

He was star of all the rodeos but now they rob him blind.
It took eighteen years of Brahma bulls and life on the line
To get his spread and a decent herd,
But now he spends his time pulling night guard.

He told her that he'd got it for the game,
A "Winnie" 303 with his initials on the frame
Riding in the scabbard at his knee. Tonight he's gonna see
Who's getting all the stock.

Seventh one this summer yesterday;
Half a year of profits gone, and now there's hell to pay.
The cops say they know who, but there's no proof.
The banker hit the roof, and damn near took the car.

He was star of all the rodeos but now they rob him blind.
It took eighteen years of Brahma bulls and life on the line
To get his spread and a decent herd,
But now he spends his time pulling night guard.

He hears the wire popping by the road;
Sees the blacked out Reo coming for another load.
This time, it's not one they take but two;
Two minutes and they're through, and laughing in the cab.

And here'll be the end of this tonight,
'Cause all the proof he needs is lying steady in his sights.
It may be just the worst thing he could do
But he squeezes off a few, then make his call to town.

He was star of all the rodeos but now they rob him blind.
It took eighteen years of Brahma bulls and life on the line
To get his spread and a decent herd,
But now he's doing time pulling night guard

-- Bob Barnetson