The four-time Grammy winner has acted in a number of films and been a guest-star on television. Lovett was married to actress Julia Roberts for a short time in the mid-1990s. In 2002, he was gored by a bull while working on his uncle's farm in Texas, but soon recovered and resumed touring.
Natural Forces
Lyle Lovett Lyrics
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Under the scorching sun and through the driving rain
And when I set my sights on the mountains high
I bid my former life good-bye
So thank you man, I must decline
For it's on my steed I will rely
I'm underneath the open sky
Home is where my horse is
Loaded up in Buffalo
Took the 90 southbound to Ohio
On 80 west I'm Frisco bound
And when I get there I'll turn back around
So thank you man, I must decline
For it's on these eighteen wheels I ride
I'm underneath the Western sky
Where I'm subject to the natural forces
Home is where my horse is
And every year they come to town
And they'll drag them all right in the ground
And Mr. Bradley calls the score
But the cowboy he will try for more
So thank you man, I must decline
For it's on my three year old I'll ride
And I'll spin and run and stop and slide
I'm subject to the natural forces
Home is where my horse is
The Cherokee and the Chickasaw
The Creeks, Seminole and the old Choctaw
They volunteered to move they say
We'll understand come judgment day
So thank you man, I must decline
For it's on this Trail of Tears I ride
And I'm under Oklahoma sky
Sometimes at night I hear their voices
Home is where my horse is
Now as I sit here safe at home
With a cold Coors Light and the tv on
All the sacrifice and the death and war
Lord I pray that I'm worth fighting for
So thank you man, I must decline
For it's on my own BG I ride
'Til earth and hell are satisfied
Where I'm subject to the natural forces
Sometimes at night I hear their voices
Home is where my horse is
Home is where my horse is
The lyrics to Lyle Lovett's song Natural Forces paint a vivid picture of a life lived on the road, taking the form of a series of vignettes that highlight the different ways in which people rely on their horses for freedom and adventure. The first verse describes a wanderer who has left their former life behind and is now traveling across a vast, open plain under the hot sun and the pouring rain. For this person, their horse is their constant companion and their link to the natural world that surrounds them.
The second verse introduces a truck driver who is also on the move, navigating a different kind of wild terrain as he criss-crosses the highways that cut through the American West. Though he's driving a massive vehicle instead of a smaller, more agile steed, he still feels a deep connection to the land and the forces of nature that shape it.
In the following verses, we meet a rodeo cowboy who is risking his life on a young horse that he hopes will carry him to glory, and a Native American who is riding across the Trail of Tears, a harrowing forced relocation that displaced thousands of people from their ancestral lands. Through all these different experiences and perspectives, Lovett emphasizes the importance of finding a sense of home and belonging through the bond between a person and their horse.
Line by Line Meaning
I rode across the great high plain
I journeyed across the expansive flat land
Under the scorching sun and through the driving rain
Enduring extreme weather conditions
And when I set my sights on the mountains high
When I aimed for the towering peaks
I bid my former life good-bye
I left my old life behind
So thank you man, I must decline
Thanks, but no thanks
For it's on my steed I will rely
I depend on my horse
I'm underneath the open sky
I am under the unlimited blue expanse
Where I'm subject to the natural forces
Where I'm beholden to natural power and law
Home is where my horse is
My true home is where my horse is
Loaded up in Buffalo
Packed up in Buffalo
Took the 90 southbound to Ohio
Drove south on Interstate 90 to Ohio
On 80 west I'm Frisco bound
On Interstate 80 westward bound for San Francisco
And when I get there I'll turn back around
When I arrive, I'll turn back
For it's on these eighteen wheels I ride
I travel on eighteen wheels
Where I'm subject to the natural forces
Where I'm beholden to natural power and law
And every year they come to town
Each year they come to the town
And they'll drag them all right in the ground
They'll bury them all in the soil
And Mr. Bradley calls the score
And Mr. Bradley announces the score
But the cowboy he will try for more
But the cowboy will attempt to do better
For it's on my three year old I'll ride
I'll ride on my three-year-old horse
And I'll spin and run and stop and slide
I'll spin, run, stop, and slide
I'm subject to the natural forces
I'm beholden to natural power and law
The Cherokee and the Chickasaw
The Cherokee and Chickasaw tribes
The Creeks, Seminole and the old Choctaw
The Creeks, Seminole, and aging Choctaw
They volunteered to move they say
They agreed to relocate, as they say
We'll understand come judgment day
We'll comprehend on the day of judgment
For it's on this Trail of Tears I ride
I travel on this Trail of Tears
And I'm under Oklahoma sky
I am under the sky of Oklahoma
Sometimes at night I hear their voices
At times, I hear their voices at night
Now as I sit here safe at home
Now, as I sit safely at home
With a cold Coors Light and the tv on
Enjoying a cold Coors Light while watching TV
All the sacrifice and the death and war
All the killings, deaths, and wars
Lord I pray that I'm worth fighting for
Dear Lord, I hope I'm worth fighting for
For it's on my own BG I ride
I ride on my own big gun
'Til earth and hell are satisfied
Until the earth and hell are content
Sometimes at night I hear their voices
At times, I hear their voices at night
Home is where my horse is
My true home is where my horse is
Lyrics © Regard Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: LYLE PEARCE LOVETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jim Cim
Two of the most underrated artists in America.
Sam Chalmers
Never was a Lyle Lovett fan. Went to see him and John Hiatt in a concert a couple of years ago. One of the best concerts I've ever been to.
Lynn Della
I wasn't much of fan, either, until I saw him in concert!
Jenny McMillin
Sam Chalmers Can’t imagine not being a Lovett fan! Yea, his concerts are a blast! ESP with his Large Band. But String Band is good too. And just with a few other guys taking turns .... he’s really funny and engaging in stage. .... I cannot get enough of him! On stage, on my Boze, any way possible!
T Gran
This was truly beautiful music, can not believe that I have not heard it before.. thanks for uploading!
Todd Cecil
This is awesome,great song, hiatt is playing a Rigaud guitar, one of the most amazing sounding guitars i have ever played...gotta see these guys in concert....kick ass
Jay Roseman
by merely varying the pitch of the vocals, Mr Lovett is able to create a melody
Mark Miwurdz
These guys are just priceless. Their music tells the story of our times and will endure . Thank you Lyle and John.
onyachamp
i too awoke to this being played on the late show.never heard lyle before but will definately be listening in the future
Mark Manchester
A great song with two great musicians right here. I wish I could play it.