The trapper man's in from the hinterlands,
Filth and grease on his clothes and hands,
From the outermost, the farthermost
Comes riding in to the trading post,
Got a pack horse loaded up with hides,
Steps in to see the man inside.
I got furs, skins, a little meat too,
Here, I got a good piece just for you.
You take this home to give the wife,
The trapper draws his skinning knife,
Now the fat man's desk is a butcher's block,
The trapper cuts the meat and talks.
You're gonna lose your shirt on a nowhere man,
Lose your shirt in nowhere land.
Back out there is my country,
And you best let this trapper be the trapper,
You need the trapper man,
The trapper man.
If you don't want to be where lightning strikes,
Better let me work the way I like.
You don't want to know how I fill my sacks,
You go out there, you don't come back.
You got nature red in tooth and claw,
And you ain't got no rule of law,
And if you don't know nature's way,
All that's gonna stop you being the prey is the trapper,
You need the trapper man,
The trapper man.
You wanna wear them gems and rings,
You wanna show off them shiny things.
Shake your money maker, bro,
Where the movers and the shakers go.
You wanna go do what you do,
Let the gold and silver come to you,
I need you but you need me,
So you best let this trapper be the trapper,
You need the trapper man,
The trapper man.
When he's done his thing and gone his way.
The fat men light cigars and say:
"Holy smokes, did you see that?
We all made money on the trapper cat."
Sit back in their big ass chairs,
Say, "Boys, that is the man right there."
I'm the lifeline for your big soft ass,
It's the trapper puts it in first class, the trapper,
You need the trapper man,
The trapper man.