He was born in the Bitteroot Valley in the e^Carly morning r^Gain Wild geese over the water, heading north and home ag^Dain Bringin' a w^Garm wind from the south, bringin' the f^Cirst taste of the ^Gspring His mother took him to her breast and s^Doftly she did sin^Gg:

^COh, Monta^Dna, g^Give this child a home Give him the l^Cove of a good f^Damily and a w^Goman of his own Give him a f^Cire in his h^Deart, give him a l^Gight in his ^Ceyes Give him the ^Gwild wind for a brother and the ^Dwild Montana s^Gkies ^{C D G}

His mother died that summer and he n^Cever learned to c^Gry He never knew his father and he never did ask w^Dhy He n^Gever knew the answers that would m^Cake an easy w^Gay But he learned to know the wilderness and to b^De a man that w^Gay His mother's brother took him in to his f^Camily and his h^Gome Gave him a hand that he could lean on and a strength to call his ^Down And he le^Garned to be a farmer and he le^Carned to love the l^Gand And he learned to read the seasons and he l^Dearned to make a st^Gand

O^Ch, Montan^Da, gi^Gve this child a home Give him the l^Cove of a good f^Damily and a w^Goman of his own Give him a f^Cire in his h^Deart, give him a l^Gight in his e^Cyes Give him the ^Gwild wind for a brother and the w^Dild Montana sk^Gies ^{C D G}

On the ^Geve of his 21st birthday, he s^Cet out on his ^Gown He was 30 years and runnin' when he found his way back h^Dome Ridin' a st^Gorm across the mountains and an a^Cchin' in his h^Geart Said he came to turn the pages and to m^Dake a brand new st^Gart Now he never told the story of the t^Cime that he was g^Gone Some say he was a lawyer, some say he was a j^Dohn There was s^Gomething in the city that he s^Caid he couldn't br^Geathe There was something in the country that he s^Daid he couldn't l^Geave

^COh, Monta^Dna, g^Give this child a home Give him the l^Cove of a good f^Damily and a w^Goman of his own Give him a f^Cire in his h^Deart, give him a l^Gight in his ^Ceyes Give him the w^Gild wind for a brother and the w^Dild Montana sk^Gies ^{C D G}

Now s^Gome say he was crazy and some are gl^Cad he's g^Gone But some of us will miss him and we'll try to carry ^Don Giving a v^Goice to the forest, giving a v^Coice to the d^Gawn Giving a voice to the wilderness and the l^Dand that he lived ^Gon

O^Ch, Montan^Da, gi^Gve this child a home Give him the l^Cove of a good f^Damily and a w^Goman of his own Give him a f^Cire in his h^Deart, give him a l^Gight in his ^Ceyes Give him the w^Gild wind for a brother and the w^Dild Montana sk^Gies ^{C D G}