Last Night at the Longhorn Saloon
Performed by Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds
Last Night at the Longhorn Saloon – Music and Written by Alan Nafzger
Verse 1
We’re Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds, how y’all doin’ tonight?
We wouldn’t be singin’ here if we weren’t along for that last wild ride.
At the Longhorn Saloon, on that legendary night,
Where the chaos and the laughter fueled our songs just right.
Now, we ain’t the most productive songwriters, that’s just how we roll,
But we wrote six songs that night, and it’s paid the toll.
Chorus
We played through the mayhem, the line dance parade,
Sang about the “Midnight Stampede” and the rodeo escapade.
Titles like “Glitter Bomb Boogie” and “Cowgirl’s Last Call,”
“Mechanical Bull Gone Rogue,” we captured it all.
Oh, we’re Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds,
And that Longhorn night was where we found our words.
Verse 2
If it weren’t for that last night in Manhattan, Kansas,
We wouldn’t be hidin’ out from the sheriff in this Nashville’s nest.
They say everything’s connected, leads to another twist,
We sure miss the Longhorn, but it went out with a bang, we insist.
We wrote “Lassoed Bartender Blues” as they roped ‘em with a grin,
Every moment was a story, every mess a win.
Chorus
We played through the mayhem, the line dance parade,
Sang about the “Midnight Stampede” and the rodeo escapade.
Titles like “Glitter Bomb Boogie” and “Cowgirl’s Last Call,”
“Mechanical Bull Gone Rogue,” we captured it all.
Oh, we’re Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds,
And that Longhorn night was where we found our words.
Verse 3
The sheriff showed up, but he couldn’t tame the crowd,
As we sang “Lost in the Saloon,” the laughter was loud.
“Flip-Flop Shuffle” told the tale of missing boots,
When the cowboys traded soles, the crowd gave their hoots.
So here we are now, hit songs in our pockets, on the run,
But call us if you need a saloon closed down, we’ll get it done.
Chorus
We played through the mayhem, the line dance parade,
Sang about the “Midnight Stampede” and the rodeo escapade.
Titles like “Glitter Bomb Boogie” and “Cowgirl’s Last Call,”
“Mechanical Bull Gone Rogue,” we captured it all.
Oh, we’re Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds,
And that Longhorn night was where we found our words.
Bridge
We rode out of town with songs in the saddle,
The Longhorn in our wake, and one last rattle.
They say Nashville’s safer, but who really knows,
When you’re wanted for dancin’ and bringin’ down those shows.
Chorus
We played through the mayhem, the line dance parade,
Sang about the “Midnight Stampede” and the rodeo escapade.
Titles like “Glitter Bomb Boogie” and “Cowgirl’s Last Call,”
“Mechanical Bull Gone Rogue,” we captured it all.
Oh, we’re Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds,
And that Longhorn night was where we found our words.
Outro
So here’s to the Longhorn, it sure went out in style,
We’ll miss that rowdy bar, it made us walk the extra mile.
But if you need a saloon closed, you know who to call,
We’re Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds, ready to bring down the hall.
Yeah, we wouldn’t be here, singin’ our tune,
If we hadn’t played that wild last night at the Longhorn Saloon.
(fiddle)
How’d they get the bison on the roof, can anyone say?
Folks around here still wonder to this very day.
And then there was the “Brisket Brawl,” the BBQ sauce fight,
Turned into a food war, Kansas-style sauce in sight.
Walls are still stained, memories of that mess,
And the bandit bartender? Well, you can guess the rest.
He tried to skip town, thought he’d make a clean break,
But the cowgirls lassoed him, oh, what a mistake!
Cyndi only needed four stitches, didn’t take much time,
She wore that scar like a badge, said, “I’ll be just fine.”
Now you can hardly see it, Botox worked like a charm,
She’s back on her feet, still raising alarms.
Yeah, we survived that night with stories to tell,
From the wild Longhorn Saloon, where we raised a little hell.
We strummed through the frenzy, sang through the haze,
From “Mechanical Bull” to “Neon Rodeo Blaze.”
“Lassoed Bartender” and “Cowgirl’s Call,”
Every song a tribute to that wild hall.
We’re Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds,
And that Longhorn night gave us our words.
Interview with Alan Nafzger
The Truth Behind the Longhorn Saloon
Interviewer: Lila Greene (AggievilleJournal.com)
Lila Greene: Alan, the legend of the Longhorn Saloon in Aggieville is one of the wildest tales around. With so many stories floating out there, people are dying to know—what really happened that night, and what’s just been blown out of proportion?
Alan Nafzger: Well, Lila, when you mix a little bit of truth with a lot of whiskey and some imagination, you end up with the legend of the Longhorn. It’s funny how reality gets twisted into something bigger, almost like a folk tale. You start with a simple night at a saloon and end up with stories that make it sound like a circus came to town.
Lila Greene: One of the most outrageous stories is about the buffalo on the roof. What’s the real story behind that?
Alan Nafzger: Oh, believe it or not, that one’s true—there was an actual buffalo on the roof. I can only guess it was the work of some of those outlaw cowboys who thought they’d add a little something extra to the night’s festivities. It was one of those things you have to see to believe, but I swear it happened. They used a crane and hoisted it up there. How they got it down is anyone’s guess. It’s one of those moments that makes you question your own sobriety, but it definitely happened.
Lila Greene: And the “Brisket Brawl”? They say there’s still BBQ sauce on the walls.
Alan Nafzger: (Laughs) That one’s mostly true, too. The “Brisket Brawl” did happen. Folks were arguing over which BBQ sauce was better—Kansas-style or Texas-style. Things got heated, and pretty soon sauce was flying everywhere. There might not be actual sauce on the walls anymore, but the memory of that chaos is still pretty fresh in everyone’s minds. It’s like that perfect mix of absurdity and passion that you can only find in a place like the Longhorn.
Lila Greene: How about the story of the bandit bartender and the cowgirl with the lasso? Did that actually go down?
Alan Nafzger: Now, that’s where the line between fact and fiction gets a bit blurry. The bartender did have a colorful past—some folks might call him an outlaw in the loosest sense. As for the cowgirl trying to rope him? That actually did happen. She swung her lasso trying to corral him when he tried to leave, things got Western in a hurry. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned, and she ended up getting punched in the face for her efforts. That part wasn’t fun, but it added to the night’s wild reputation.
Lila Greene: And then the police and fire department showed up, right? How did that all unfold?
Alan Nafzger: Oh yeah, the parking lot looked like the last scenes of out Die Hard, the action movie. There were cops everywhere, lights flashing, and even the fire department on standby, just in case things someone tried to burn the place down. It was like the whole town had shown up at 2:30 am to watch the spectacle. But through all of that, Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds kept on playing like it was just another Friday night. They were the soundtrack to the chaos.
Lila Greene: You mentioned Debbie and the Prairie Songbirds played right through it. And I heard you wrote six songs that night?
Alan Nafzger: Yes, it’s true. They played through the mayhem, the lassoing, the bison on the roof, everything. They didn’t miss a beat. And for some reason, that riot sparked something in me. I ended up writing six songs that night, just soaking up the energy of it all. It was one of those nights where creativity and chaos collided in the best possible way. Those songs are part of the legend now, just like everything else that went down.
Lila Greene: Why do you think the stories of the Longhorn Saloon have become so legendary? Is it just the outrageousness, or is there more to it?
Alan Nafzger: It’s a bit of everything, really. The Longhorn Saloon became a canvas where ordinary life mixed with the extraordinary. People in Kansas want to believe in something bigger than the mundane, and the Longhorn gave them that. It’s like a piece of art that everyone added their own brushstroke to. Some stories are true, some are exaggerated, and some are pure fiction, but they all combine to create this epic tale. It’s not about what actually happened anymore—it’s about the stories people tell and the way they connect through them. In the end, the Longhorn was more than just a saloon—it was a stage where life played out in the most unpredictable ways.
Lila Greene: So, in essence, the Longhorn Saloon was a mix of art and reality, chaos and creativity?
Alan Nafzger: Exactly, Lila. It was a place where the line between reality and fiction blurred, creating something unique. Whether it was the buffalo on the roof, the brawls, or the songs that came out of it, every part of the last night at the Longhorn Saloon added to its legend. It wasn’t just a bar—it was a masterpiece of stories, laughter, and a bit of madness. And that’s what people remember, and why they keep talking about it.
Turned into a food war, Kansas-style sauce in sight.
