Tyson and his then-wife Sylvia Fricker constituted one of the most popular folk duos of the 1960s, Ian & Sylvia. In 1969, they formed and fronted the pioneering country-rock group Great Speckled Bird.
Tyson gradually shifted to the cowboy way while still with Sylvia, accentuating the western life through song. Residing on a ranch in southern Alberta, Tyson toured all over the west.
In 1989, Tyson was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. His next albums were cowboy music: I Outgrew the Wagon (1989), And Stood There Amazed (1991), and Eighteen Inches of Rain (1994).
In 2005, CBC Radio One listeners chose his song, "Four Strong Winds," as the greatest Canadian song of all time on the series 50 Tracks: The Canadian Version. There was strong momentum for him to be nominated the Greatest Canadian, but he fell short. He has been a strong influence on many Canadian artists including Neil Young, who recorded "Four Strong Winds" for Comes a Time (1978). Johnny Cash would also record that same song for American V: A Hundred Highways (2006).
In 2006, Tyson was afflicted with a throat virus resulting in damaged vocal cords and a major change in the texture of his once mellifluous voice into a far hoarser quality. Nevertheless he cut the album, "From Yellowhead to Yellowstone and Other Love Stories" in 2008.
M.C. Horses
Ian Tyson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listenin' to the guitars ring.
Jesse said "You know,they sold the M.C. horses."
"I'll be damned.When was that?" I hadn't heard a thing.
Yeah, the people they come from everywhere
Just to bid on 'em high and low
And thereby own a piece of the legend.
With the cow herd all dispersed the old cavvy she had to go.
Back in August--100 head and more.
Chorus:
So come on boy, run 'em in. We're gonna let this sale begin.
Last of the big remudas of the mightly M.C.
There's horses here for everyone.
Saddle 'em kids let's get her done.
By the time that Oregon sun goes down
This outfit's history--this outfit's history.
So the M.C. crew they rode 'em all
And the people all gathered 'round.
One ol' boy gave two grand for Banjo.
Banjo took his trailer apart
When he tired to load him up for town
Back in August-- 100 head and more.
If you ever have beer at the Aydell Store
Say hi to Chuck and Annie.
They'll show you them big ol' steer heads up there hangin'.
When you ask where have they gone?
Hell, they're gone like the M.C. cavvy
Back in August--100 head and more.
Repeat Chorus
We were having a drink at Stockman's
Way out on the sagebrush sea.
Jesse said "You know, they sold the M.C. horses."
The first verse of Ian Tyson's song "M.C. Horses" sets the stage for the rest of the song, which is a nostalgic tale of the sale of the M.C. horses - a remuda of horses that belonged to the M.C. Ranch based in Oregon. The song begins with the singer and a friend having a drink at Stockman's, a bar listening to guitars when the friend, Jesse, reveals that the M.C. horses were sold. The singer is surprised because he hadn't heard about it. Jesse continues to explain that the auction of the horses happened in August and more than 100 horses were sold.
The subsequent lines in the song explain the significance of the M.C. horses. They were not just any horses; they were a legendary breed of horses that people from everywhere came to bid on. To own one of these horses was to own a piece of history. With the cow herd on the ranch dispersed, the M.C. horses had to go too. The chorus of the song is a call to action, urging the cowboys to run the horses in and let the sale begin before the outfit's history is lost forever.
The lyrics of "M.C. Horses" reflect on the loss of an important piece of history as well as convey the importance of the M.C. horses to those who knew and loved them. The song's lyrics are emotional and evocative, painting a vivid picture of a time and a place that has now disappeared.
Line by Line Meaning
We were having a drink at Stockman's,
We were sitting at the Stockman's bar, enjoying our drinks.
Listenin' to the guitars ring.
We were listening to the live music being played on the guitars.
Jesse said "You know,they sold the M.C. horses."
Jesse informed us that the M.C. horses had been sold.
"I'll be damned.When was that?" I hadn't heard a thing.
I was surprised and asked when this had happened as I was not aware of it.
"Back in August--100 head and more."
Jesse informed us that it had happened in August and that there were over a hundred horses sold.
Yeah, the people they come from everywhere
Many people came from different locations to participate in the auction.
Just to bid on 'em high and low
These people would bid high and low to acquire these horses.
And thereby own a piece of the legend.
They were eager to own horses that were part of the famous M.C. herd.
With the cow herd all dispersed the old cavvy she had to go.
After dispersing the cowherd, it was necessary to sell the old horse cavvy as well.
Chorus:
The chorus begins here.
So come on boy, run 'em in. We're gonna let this sale begin.
The auctioneer is prompted to start the auction and begin the sale of these horses.
Last of the big remudas of the mightly M.C.
These were the last of the big herd from the famous M.C. ranch.
There's horses here for everyone.
There were horses available for everyone at the auction.
Saddle 'em kids let's get her done.
The children were asked to saddle the horses and get things started.
By the time that Oregon sun goes down
The aim was to complete the auction before the sun went down.
This outfit's history--this outfit's history.
This was the end of this era for the M.C. ranch herd.
So the M.C. crew they rode 'em all
The cowboys from the M.C. ranch rode all the horses that were being sold.
And the people all gathered 'round.
The people who had come to the auction gathered around to watch the display of horsemanship.
One ol' boy gave two grand for Banjo.
One man purchased a horse named Banjo for two thousand dollars.
Banjo took his trailer apart
Banjo resisted getting loaded into the trailer to go with his new owner.
When he tired to load him up for town
When they were trying to load Banjo onto the trailer to take him home.
If you ever have beer at the Aydell Store
If you ever drink beer at the Aydell Store.
Say hi to Chuck and Annie.
Say hi to the store owner Chuck and his wife, Annie.
They'll show you them big ol' steer heads up there hangin'.
They'll show you the big steer heads that are hung up at the store.
When you ask where have they gone?
If you ask about the M.C. horses.
Hell, they're gone like the M.C. cavvy
They're gone, just like the M.C. herds that were sold in August.
Repeat Chorus
The chorus is repeated again at the end.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Les Niedbalski
on Road to Las Cruces
Does the wind still blow
in New Mexico?
Do the silver candelabras yet shine?
Is Kathrine still queen of El Paso?
Never to be yours, never to be mine.
Out of reach like the pale moon that shines, on the road to Las Cruces.
On a high plateau, out off Antone she goes.
I see the dust of a herd moving through.
The dream and the lights softly fading,
The horses will not stay, they wish to go with her.
Riding for Alex Corone, on the road to Las Vegas.
The line of desire, seven strands of barbed wire
will hold back the on rushing tide.
Many dreams have been brought to the border,
down in the canyons, down in the culverts.
They pray for safe passage tonight, on the trail to Albuquerque.
I crossed over a toll, I stood there alone, looking in to the heart of the night.
Across that dark plain to El Paso,
Where Kathrine sleeps, Kathrine dreams.
Out of reach like the pale moon that shines, on the road to Las Cruces.
Alex Marcin
on The Wonder of It All
I think it is "where the rimrock meets the sky"