THE PONY MAN

When it's midnight on the meadow and the cats are in the shed
And the river tells a story by the window by my bed
If you listen very closely be as quiet as you can
In the yard you'll hear him it is the Pony Man

We're always there to greet him when he tumbles into town
He leads a string of ponies some are white and some are brown
And they never seem to kick or bite they only want to play
And they live off candy apples instead of oats and hay

And when we are assembled he gives a soft command
And we climb aboard our ponies as in a row they stand
And down the roads we gallop and across the fields we fly
And soon we all go sailing into the midnight sigh

And as we gayly walk along beside the riplin sea
There's Tom and Dick and Sally Mary Joe and Me
And the Pony Man is leading coz he's traveled here before
He gives a hoop and a hollar at Mr.Moon's front door

AND THEN WE FORM A SINGLE FILE INSIDE THE MOON WE GO
INTO A LAND OF MAGIC THAT THE GROWNUPS DO NOT KNOW
WHERE THE STREETS ARE PAVED WITH CHOCOLATE AND THE TREES ARE HUNG WITH TOYS
AND THERE'S CHEWING GUM FOR EVERYONE OF THE LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS

And then we stop to rest awhile where the soda river glides
Up to the slip comes a pirate ship to take us for a ride
And the Pony Man's the captain and the children are the crew
And we go in search of treasure and laugh the whole night thru

BUT THEN THE CLOUDS SURROUND US AND THE SEAS BEGIN TO BOIL
AND THE WIND HOWLS LIKE A DRAGON AS UPON THE DECKS WE TOIL
WHEN LONGSIDE FLOATS A BOTTLE WHICH SOON ON BOARD IS HOVE
WITH A MAP INSIDE WHICH LEADS US TO A GIANT TREASURE TROVE

And when the hold is feeled with gold and the sails begin to strain
And the decks pile high with apple pie we head for port again
And down the whirling staircase so swift our ponies fly
And we're safely in our beds again when the sunbeams kiss the sky

When it's midnight on the meadow and the cats are in the shed
And the river tells a story by the window by my bed
If you listen very closely be as quiet as you can
In the yard you'll hear him it is the Pony Man


The 2 verses that are capatalized, I don't know where they came from. I visited the Internet Companion Source and they had added lyrics to "The Pony Man"
Does Lightfoot add the lyrics when he sings in concerts now?

[Jenney]

Those are the extra lyrics that are in the child'd book, The Pony Man. I've never heard GL sing them, and I don't know if they were added before or after he wrote the song. My best guess is he wrote the original song with the lyrics then shortened the song by leaving them out, and then putting them back in when the book was published. Only a guess though.
Jenney

[gwen snyder]

Why did Gord write this song?
GSS

[MaryEllen]

For his two eldest children. In his notes on "Pony Man" in the "Songbook" set, Gord remarks that he was only rarely a guitar-playing Daddy (i.e, cool to have around), and that he's only lately realized that what kids mainly need is for their parents just to BE around. The implication is that he knows he wasn't there enough for Fred and Ingrid.

[Auburn Annie]

For his kids (the older two, Fred and Ingrid) who of course are now grown with kids of their own (at least Ingrid does - Gord's two grandchildren.)

[Borderstone]

Amazing! I feel good even after just "reading" the lyrics! Thanks DMD3!

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Borderstone

[gwen snyder]

thanks Auburn Annie and Mary Ellen,(you guys posted replies at the exact same time)but, now this song seems very sad to me.
GSS

Very intrigued to read these extra lyrics to The Pony Man. It seems to me that Gordon singing this version would have been tailor made for the 'Songbook' compilation.

It reminds me of Dylans 'Shelter From The Storm' from 'Blood On The Tracks'. This song appeared on the soundtrack of 'Jerry McGuire' and, hey, an extra verse. This greatly pleased the Dylan aficionados, me included.

Gordon, however, is very much my numero uno

[Oma]

After reading the lyrics, I can see that I am going to have to find this song and actually hear it. Yep, it's another one that I've never even heard before! I love the lyrics, though, and I think it would be a great song to play for the kids before bed at night.