Cow-Cow Boogie
Ella Fitzgerald and Ink Spots Lyrics

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Out on the plains down near Santa Fe
I met a cowboy ridin' the range one day
And as he jogged along I heard him singin'
The most peculiar cowboy song
It was a ditty, he learned in the city
Comma ti yi yi yeah
Comma ti yippity yi yeah

Now get along, get hip little doggies
Get along, better be on your way
Get along, get hip little doggies
He trucked 'em on down that old fairway
Singin' his Cow Cow Boogie in the strangest way
Comma ti yi yi yeah
Comma ti yippity yi yeah

[Chorus: x2]
Now singin' his cowboy songs
He's just too much
He's got a knocked out western accent with a dixie
Touch
He was raised on local ways
He's what you call a swingin' half breed
Singin' his Cow Cow Booogie in the strangest way

Comma ti yi yi yeah
Comma ti yippity yi yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ella Fitzgerald's song Cow Cow Boogie speaks of an encounter with a cowboy near Santa Fe who was singing a peculiar cowboy song. As the cowboy jogged along, he sang the song in a strange way, which added to its uniqueness. The song itself is about cowboys herding cattle through the plains. The cowboy in the song sings to his "dogies" (a term for motherless calves), urging them to keep moving and stay on course. Cow Cow Boogie was a song that the cowboy learned in the city, although it is not clear why it was peculiar as cowboys and their music were already a staple in the city by the time the song was released in 1942.

The song then goes on to describe the cowboy as someone with a "knocked-out western accent with a Dixie touch," a reference to his mixed Southern and Western heritage. He was raised on local ways and is what is referred to as a "swinging half-breed." The song highlights the uniqueness and eccentricity of the cowboy, painting him as a character not often seen in traditional cowboy songs.

Line by Line Meaning

Out on the plains down near Santa Fe
I was in the countryside around Santa Fe

I met a cowboy ridin' the range one day
I encountered a cowboy who was riding his horse in the region

And as he jogged along I heard him singin'
As he continued to ride, he began to sing

The most peculiar cowboy song
He was singing an unusual cowboy song

It was a ditty, he learned in the city
It was a catchy tune he picked up in urban areas

Comma ti yi yi yeah
He sang a phrase of nonsense syllables

Comma ti yippity yi yeah
He repeated the same phrase

Now get along, get hip little doggies
He urged his cattle to move along

Get along, better be on your way
He reminded his animals to keep moving and not delay

He trucked 'em on down that old fairway
He guided his livestock to a particular path

Singin' his Cow Cow Boogie in the strangest way
He sang his cowboy song with an odd style

Now singin' his cowboy songs
He was singing his repertoire of cowboy tunes

He's just too much
He was incredibly talented and entertaining

He's got a knocked out western accent with a dixie Touch
He had a unique blend of western and southern accents

He was raised on local ways
He grew up learning the customs of the region

He's what you call a swingin' half breed
He was a mixed-race person who brought a unique flavor to his music

Singin' his Cow Cow Booogie in the strangest way
Once again, he performed a bizarre version of his cowboy song

Comma ti yi yi yeah
He repeated his nonsensical phrase

Comma ti yippity yi yeah
He sang the same phrase all over again

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Don Raye, Benny Carter, Gene De Paul

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@alexanderhughes878

16w

Cow Cow Boogie Lyrics
Artist(Band):Ella Fitzgerald

Out on the plains down near Santa Fe
I met a cowboy ridin' the range one day
And as he jogged along I heard him singin'
A most peculiar cowboy song
It was a ditty, he learned in the city
Comma ti yi yi yeah
Comma ti yippity yi yeah

Now get along, get hip little DOGIES
Get along, better be on your way
Get along, get hip little DOGIES
AND He trucked 'em on down that old fairway
Singin' his Cow Cow Boogie in the strangest way
Comma ti yi yi yeah
Comma ti yippity yi yeah

(Chorus)
Singin' his cowboy songs
He's just too much
He's got a knocked out western accent with a HARLEM touch
He was raised on LOCO WEED
He's what you call a swing half breed
Singin' his Cow Cow Booogie in the strangest way
Comma ti yi yi yeah
Comma ti yippity yi yeah

All comments from YouTube:

@Richie_roo

15w

First African-American cowboy tune I've ever found

@roxanemurray8445

3y↑9

Just stumbled onto this, and it took me back to my childhood. My mom used to always play this on the piano. The version I stumbled across was Ella Mae Morse's, but this is the one Mom would have liked. Huge Ella fan.