"Oklahoma Wind" is a western style lament of the plight of the American Indian. The following is an interpretation* of the lyrics as performed by Billy Joe Shaver and Waylon Jennings.

Verse 1:

Jesse lit us up and passed the bottle one more time
We used to smoke and drink a lot back then
Thunder shook the heavens and the lightning danced the sky
Like I ain't seen since can't remember when

Verse 2:

The Oklahoma kid laid dying in a women's wing
Just another indian biting dust
Clouds grew dark in promise but they didn't rain a thing
The government ain't something you can trust

Bridge:

Oh the Oklahoma wind slides across the burning sand
Over double crosses mother nature made

Verse 3:

We picked a gig in Tulsa at the Cains ballroom that night
The Oklahoma kid was dead and gone
Rains still hadn't come but the clouds still blacked the sky
That's when I took the time to write this song about the wrong

Chorus:

Oh the Oklahoma wind slides across the burning sand
Over double crosses mother nature made
And nothing's ever come as far as i'm concerned
From those dead tomorrows planted yesterday

Verse 4: (Waylon)

The white man took a chance and got his foot hung in the door
He sure as hell is gonna have his day
The redman speaks his peace gain his long lost dignity
Washington just turned the other way

Verse 5: (Waylon)

Jesse spends his days in Loco Hills New Mexico
Every night he drinks his fill of booze
When Williams ghost is running he lays his money down
Winning just enough to lose to lose to lose ...

Chorus, Chorus.

*lyrics interpreted by David M. Potter (dmp12@cornell.edu)

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See all State Songs - National Anthem

Source:

Shaver - Blast from the past Review: Take Country Back
Ode to Billy Joe: Interview with Billy Joe Shaver
Oklahoma Information: Oklahoma U Law Center

Links:

OKLAHOMA STATE ICONS: OK.gov
History of Standard Ballroom by Jeff Bettany
Billy Joe Shaver: website
State Songs - 50 states
National Anthem