Mike Blakely – The Last Comanche Moon

Mike Blakely – The Last Comanche Moon, is a song written by and recorded by American western singer and songwriter Mike Blakely. It was released in 1994 on his album, West of You.

The narrator is a cowboy employed by a range near the Rio Grande during a Comanche attack at night. The Comanches first raid the ranch, stealing all of the horses except one named Milky Way, a «racin’ blue roan stallion.» The cowboy rides Milky Way to save a barmaid and lover named Julie Anne, also referred to as the Mission Belle. As he rides to the church where Julie Anne lives, he shoots multiple Comanches and runs out of ammo. Milky Way gets injured, and behind him rides Wolf, the «antagonist,» with a group of Comache warriors. They shoot the horse dead, but feeling pity, spares the narrator and Julie Ann. The line, «I staked my life and lost my fortune for to save The Mission Belle» refers to this moment, where the narrator sacrifices his winning horse to save Julie Ann. It is implied that Julie Ann and the narrator get married afterwards. 60 years later, Wolf and Julie Ann have died, and the narrator is on his deathbed. Wolf, Julie, and Milky Way all wait for him, guiding him to the afterlife.

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Mike Blakely – The Last Comanche Moon Lyrics

The last Comanche moon was shinin’ on me
Bright as day my true love walked the trail from Hell’s Midnight
I rode the Milky Way, I raced the Wolf the night
The Broken Arrow fell
I staked my life and lost my fortune for to save
The Mission Belle

Hey-y oh

I was a cowboy once down on the Rio Grande
I rode the ranges for the Broken Arrow brand
I was on guard that fateful night in early June
I saw the risin’ of the last Comanche moon
I saw the warriors ride around the river bend
I give a shout to rouse the boys their home ranch to defend
They kept us pinned down with a hundred arrows flung
They come for all our horses, and they left us with just one
I’d locked him with a trace chain to a live oak tree that day
My racin’ blue roan stallion I called the Milky Way

Hey-y oh

His daddy was a mustang and a famous fightin’ stud
His mamma was a thoroughbred of pure Kentucky blood
He was worth a fortune of a thousand, maybe more
His winnin’s numbered hundreds and his winters numbered four
They raised a cheer back at the Broken Arrow Ranch
When I rode the Milky Way into the moonlighted Comanch
I shot my way out through a hundred painted braves
And struck the trail that led to town my true love for to save
My true love was a barmaid and she worked at Gambler’s Hell
Her name was Julie Anne but she was called the Mission Belle

Hey-y oh

Julie Anne lived in the ruins of the ancient mission church
That stood a mile from town out
Where the braves were sure to search
She always walked the trail alone from Hell’s Midnight Saloon
And I was bound to save her from the last Comanche moon
Halfway to town and I was crossin’ Devil Branch,
I run onto another raidin’ party of Comanch
I recognized a warrior on a blood bay mare
I knew his name was Wolf
They said he’d lifted lots of hair
We had hoss raced at the fort
He admired my blue roan stud
He come on through the moonlight like a lobo trailin’ blood
The last Comanche moon was shinin’ on me bright as day
My true love walked the trail from Hell’s Midnight I rode the Milky Way
I raced the Wolf the night
The Broken Arrow fell
I staked my life and lost my fortune for to save
The Mission Belle

Hey-y oh

I shot my pistol dry and dropped it on the road
With my saddle bag and cartridge belt to lighten up the load
But an arrow found old Milky Way
And his wound began to bleed
And the Wolf was on his war horse
A fleet Comanche steed
There in the moonlight rose the ancient mission wall
The Wolf was right behind me when I heard my true love call
I rode the racehorse of a lifetime to the ground
I swear it died a runnin’ and his likes have not been found
I landed on my shadow and I lay just where I fell
The screams of Julie Ann met with the Wolf’s Comanche yell

Hey-y oh

I’ve been called a liar and I’ve been called a fool
‘N I’ve been told Comanches grant no mercy as a rule
But old Wolf he seen me helpless and he seen his chance I know
But he only rode right by me, and he struck me with his bow
He could have killed me but he only counted coup
He turned and touched the Milky Way before the ghost had flew
He give a war yell like a wolf burned with a brand
Then wheeled and ducked the pistol shot by Julie Ann
She helped me right up from the hard spot where I fell
The last Comanche moon, the Milky Way, the Mission Belle

Hey-y oh

Well it’s been sixty years now since I made that fateful ride
It’s been twenty winters since I heard the Wolf had died
It’s been seven moons now since I lost my Julie Ann
I’m goin’ for to join her boys, my time is near at hand
Don’t mind my passin’ boys, it’s time the old man died
The Wolf he waits to guide me up the trail o’er the divide
The moon is risin’ like it did so long ago
An’ I see the warriors waitin’ on the ridge now, all aglow
Farewell world of trouble here comes Julie Ann
She rides the Milky Way to take me to the promised land
The last Comanche moon was shinin’ on me
Bright as day my true love walked the trail from Hell’s Midnight
I rode the Milky Way I raced the Wolf the night
The Broken Arrow fell
I staked my life and lost my fortune for to save
The Mission Belle

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