The Shifting Whispering Sands Part I
Johnny Cash Lyrics

I discovered the valley of the shifting, whispering sands
I came across a valley where the sand moved and made whispering sounds

While prospecting for gold in one of our western States
I was searching for gold in one of the western states of the US

I saw the silent windmills, the crumbling water tanks
I spotted old, silent windmills and broken water tanks

The bones of cattle and burros, picked clean by buzzards
I saw buzzards eating the mixed remains of burros and cattle

Bleached by the desert suns
The bones had been bleached by the hot desert suns

I stumbled over a crumbling buckboard nearly covered by the sands
I came across a dilapidated buckboard wagon almost covered by the sand while walking

And stopping to rest, I heard a tinkling, whispering sound
Pausing to rest, I heard a faint tinkling and whispering sound

Then suddenly realized that even though the wind was quiet
I understood that even when it was calm, the sand still moved

The sand did not lie still
The sand was never still

I seemed to be surround by a mystery
I felt like I was in the middle of a mysterious place

So heavy and oppressive I could scarcely breath
It was so overwhelming that I nearly had trouble breathing

For days and weeks I wandered aimlessly in this valley
I roamed around this valley for days and weeks with no clear direction

Seeking answers to the many questions
Trying to find solutions to many underlying uncertainties

That raced through my fevered mind
These thoughts rushed through my mind despite my exhaustion or possible fever

Where was everyone
I wondered where all the people were

Why the white bones
I questioned why the bones were white

The dry wells
Wells in the area were bone-dry

The barren valley where people must have lived and died
The valley looked dry and empty, as though people had both lived and died there

Finally I could go no farther
I eventually hit my physical limit and could go no further

My food and water gone
I had run out of food and drink

I sat down and buried my face in my hands
Feeling hopeless, I sat down and buried my face in my hands

And resting thus, I learned the secret
During my rest, I learned the mystery

Of the Shifting, whispering sands
I learned about the sound and movement of the sand in the valley

How I managed to escape from the valley I do not know
I am unaware of how I managed to get out of the valley

But now to pay my final debt for being spared
However, to pay my final due for being saved from the valley

I must tell you what I learned out on the desert
I need to share my experience with people

So many years ago
This event happened many years back

When the day is awfully quiet
When the day is extremely silent

And the breeze seems not to blow
When there is no wind felt

One would think the sand was resting
People might assume that sand is still

But you'll find this is not so
However, sand will always be moving

It is whispering, softly whispering
The sand makes a soft, whispered sound

As it slowly moves along
As the sand moves gently

And for those who stop and listen
Those who pause to listen

It will sing this mournful song
It produces a sad melody

Of sidewinders and the horn toads
The song is of venomous snakes and horned toads

Of the thorny chaparral
The melody describes the arid, thorny chaparral

Endless sunny days and moonlit nights
The sound echoes dry daylight and nights that are lit by the moon

The coyotes lonely yell
It also includes the mournful cries of coyotes

Of the stars seem you could touch them
The song touches on the idea of being able to touch the stars

As you lay and gaze on high
While you lie and stare up

At the heavens where we're hoping
People aspire to go to the heavens after death

We'll be going when we die
That is where people will eventually go after they die