Castles In The Sky
Blonde On Blonde Lyrics


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An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
A-plowing through the ragged sky and up the cloudy draw

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
For he saw the Riders coming hard and he heard their mournful cry

Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi yaaaaay
Ghost Riders in the sky

Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat
He's riding hard to catch that herd, but he ain't caught 'em yet
'Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snorting fire
As they ride on hear their cry

As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name
If you want to save your soul from Hell a-riding on our range
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
Trying to catch the Devil's herd, across these endless skies

Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi Yaaaaay

Ghost Riders in the sky




Ghost Riders in the sky
Ghost Riders in the sky

Overall Meaning

The song "Ghost Riders in the Sky" by the band Blonde On Blonde is a ballad about an old cowboy who is on a journey when he sees a herd of red-eyed cows plowing through the sky on the ridge where he rests. He is immediately filled with fear as he hears the sound of the ghost riders coming hard, a group of cowboys who must ride forever on the range up in the sky. The riders try to persuade the old cowboy to change his ways and save his soul from hell, but he is too afraid to accept their offer. The song is filled with haunting imagery and spiritual symbolism.


The lyrics of the song are based on a traditional cowboy ballad from the mid-20th century, which has been covered by many artists over the years, including Johnny Cash and The Outlaws. The song's popularity has persisted over the years and has been used in film and television, including in the opening credits of the film "The Blues Brothers" and in an episode of "The Simpsons."


The song's lyrics use vivid imagery to paint a picture of the ghost riders and the old cowboy's fear, creating a sense of foreboding and unease. The haunting refrain of "ghost riders in the sky" echoes throughout the song, adding to the sense of mystery and danger. The song's religious undertones suggest that the old cowboy's encounter with the ghost riders is a spiritual one, and that he must make a choice about the direction his life will take.


Overall, "Ghost Riders in the Sky" is a powerful and evocative song that has resonated with listeners for generations. Its timeless themes of life, death, and redemption continue to captivate audiences today.


Line by Line Meaning

An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day
A cowboy rode out on a day that was dark and full of wind.


Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
He took a break while traveling on a ridge.


When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
Suddenly, he saw a huge heard of red-eyed cows.


A-plowing through the ragged sky and up the cloudy draw
The cows were moving through the sky and up a cloudy area.


Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their markings were still so hot they were fiery, and their hooves were made of steel.


Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel
Their horns were black and glossy and he could feel their hot breath.


A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
He was scared as the cows thundered through the sky.


For he saw the Riders coming hard and he heard their mournful cry
He saw the Riders coming with intensity and heard their sorrowful cries.


Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi Ohhhhh


Yippie yi yaaaaay
Yippie yi yaaaaay


Ghost Riders in the sky
There were Ghost Riders in the sky.


Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat
The Riders had gaunt faces, blurry eyes, and were sweating through their shirts.


He's riding hard to catch that herd, but he ain't caught 'em yet
The cowboy is trying to catch the heard, but hasn't done it yet.


'Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
They have to ride forever on the sky range.


On horses snorting fire
Their horses were snorting fire.


As they ride on hear their cry
The cowboy can hear their cry as they ride on.


As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name
As the Riders went by, one of them called his name.


If you want to save your soul from Hell a-riding on our range
If the cowboy wants to save his soul from Hell riding on their range,


Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
Then he must change his ways today, or else he will ride with them.


Trying to catch the Devil's herd, across these endless skies
The cowboy then tries to catch the Devil's herd across these endless skies.


Ghost Riders in the sky
There were Ghost Riders in the sky.


Ghost Riders in the sky
There were Ghost Riders in the sky.


Ghost Riders in the sky
There were Ghost Riders in the sky.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Stanley Jones

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@petercox7222

One of the best records - I love it

@donbrogan3158

Great tune. A little gem from a great album.

@WocklessGamingforAnimeMoms

Based

@RecetasMaricel

☮️

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