Rawhide
Faron Young Lyrics


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(Rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' rawhide)

Keep rollin' rollin' rollin' thought the streams are swollen
Keep them dogies rollin' rawhide
Through rain and wind and weather hell bent for leather
Wishin' my gal was by my side
All the things I'm missin' good fiddles love and kissin'
Are waitin' at the end of my ride

Move 'em on head 'em up head 'em up move 'em on
Move 'em on head 'em up rawhide
Cut 'em out ride 'em in ride 'em in cut 'em out
Cut 'em out ride 'em in rawhide

Movin' movin' movin' thought they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies movin' rawhide
Don't try to understand 'em just rope and throw and brand 'em
Soon we'll be livin' high and wide
My heart's calculatin' my true love will be waitin'
Be waitin' at the end of my ride






Move 'em on head 'em up...

Overall Meaning

The song "Rawhide" by Faron Young is a classic country western tune that conjures up images of cowboys herding cattle across the vast plains of the American West. The opening lyrics set the tone for the song, as it starts with the phrase "Rollin' rollin' rollin'," which is repeated six times in rapid succession, creating a sense of urgency and forward momentum. The next line, "thought the streams are swollen," hints at the harsh realities of life on the trail, where cowboys often had to contend with swollen rivers and other natural obstacles as they drove their cattle to market.


The chorus, "Keep them dogies rollin' rawhide," is a call to action, urging the cowboys to keep moving their cattle along the trail. This is a reference to rawhide, a tough leather material made from the skin of cows or other animals, which was often used to make whips, lassos, and other tools of the trade in the American West. The next few lines, "Through rain and wind and weather hell bent for leather/Wishin' my gal was by my side/All the things I'm missin' good fiddles love and kissin'," suggest that life on the trail was lonely and hard, and that the cowboys longed for the comforts of home.


The next verse, "Movin' movin' movin' thought they're disapprovin'/Keep them dogies movin' rawhide/Don't try to understand 'em just rope and throw and brand 'em/Soon we'll be livin' high and wide," reinforces the idea that the cowboys had to keep moving their cattle at all costs, regardless of the disapproval of others. The final verse, "My heart's calculatin' my true love will be waitin'/Be waitin' at the end of my ride," offers a glimmer of hope that the cowboys' hard work and sacrifice will be rewarded with love and companionship at the end of the trail.


Line by Line Meaning

Rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' rawhide
Let's keep moving forward through difficult conditions with determination and strength


Keep rollin' rollin' rollin' thought the streams are swollen
We'll keep moving ahead even if we encounter obstacles such as swollen streams


Keep them dogies rollin' rawhide
We'll keep pushing the cattle forward, no matter what happens


Through rain and wind and weather hell bent for leather
Despite any harsh weather, we'll keep moving forward towards our goal as fast as we can


Wishin' my gal was by my side
I'm missing the company of my loved one as we travel


All the things I'm missin' good fiddles love and kissin'
I long for the pleasures of good music, love, and affection


Are waitin' at the end of my ride
I hope to find all the things I've been missing once we reach our destination


Move 'em on head 'em up head 'em up move 'em on
Let's get the cattle moving forward again, quickly


Move 'em on head 'em up rawhide
We need to keep driving the cattle forward and not let them slow down


Cut 'em out ride 'em in ride 'em in cut 'em out
Separate the cattle we need from the rest and start bringing them back to the ranch


Cut 'em out ride 'em in rawhide
We need to cut out the cattle we want and ride them back to the ranch as quickly as we can


Movin' movin' movin' thought they're disapprovin'
We'll keep moving forward despite any disapproval or obstacles from others


Don't try to understand 'em just rope and throw and brand 'em
We don't need to try to understand the cattle, we just need to capture and brand them


Soon we'll be livin' high and wide
Once we finish this task, we'll be able to enjoy the rewards and freedom of a successful cattle drive


My heart's calculatin' my true love will be waitin'
I believe my loved one will be waiting for me at the end of this journey


Be waitin' at the end of my ride
I'm hoping to reunite with my loved one when we reach our destination




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, PATTI WASHINGTON MUSIC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@siddharthabhattacharya2123

Is it the landmarking song of Faron Young ? this singer has casts a mark in my mind that inspires all tha time.

@INDYOSKARS

It lacks the whip, which I think is a big part of RAW-HIDE

@kentaylor7044

faron may be my favorite country singer ever but frankie laine's version seems better on this song.

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