When Abilene was young and gay   And thunder storms filled up the day   The cattle roamed outside the town      Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun      Then tracks were lain across the plain   By broken, old men in torrid rains   The towns grew up and the people were still      Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun      We all joined in and we'll all hold hands   Yes, we'll join to help run the land   Then soldiers once, long, long ago   Rode through the town, rode down those      Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun      Gold came and went, quickly spent   And the people broke down and often drowned   From wealth and the pain of old Abilene      They were sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun   Sleeping in the midday sun