Born Cyrus Whitfield Bond in Enville, Oklahoma, he learned ukelele and guitar headed to Oklahoma City as a teen to play dances and radio shows as a member of the Singing Cowboy Trio and later the Bell Boys. Bond’s big break came in 1939 as a member of the Jimmy Wakely Trio when they were brought out to Hollywood to appear in a western called "The Saga of Death Valley, starring Roy Rogers. By 1940 Jimmy Wakely's trio had relocated to California and become regulars on Gene Autry's Melody Ranch radio show, the trio disbanded, but Bond stayed on air for some 16 years until the show was dropped in 1956. Bond also ended up in some 38 films between 1939 and 1947, usually as a bit player, musical interlude or sidekick. In 1947, while his film career was ending, the notoreity remained and he had three top five country hits including "Divorce Me C.O.D.".
His legendary songcraft, healthy baritone voice and pioneering hillbilly-western swing sound is heard on enduring tracks from the 1940's like “I’ll Step Aside” and “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight”. “Cimarron” was covered by Johnny Cash, Bob Wills, Les Paul & Mary Ford and many others. "I'll Step Aside," became hits for everyone from Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra to Johnny Rodriguez, while “Tomorrow Never Knows” was a hit for Glen Campbell and also was covered by Lynn Anderson,Loretta Lynn and Elvis Presley amongst others! Bond was also a gifted guitar player who appeared on records by Rosemary Clooney, Jimmie Davis, Flat & Scruggs, and Marty Robbins. Other well known artists who recorded his songs include Jerry Lee Lewis,Hank Thompson,Arthur Alexander,the Sons of the Pioneers and Louvin Brothers.
Bond's recorded steadily from the 1940's, was a regular on the 1950s country music television series Town Hall Party, had his own radio show for awhile, and despite being dropped by Columbia in 1957, his biggest hits didn't arrive until the 1960's. The latter period chart toppers being 1964's "Ten Little Bottles" and the 1960 rebel rock n roll standard "Hot Rod Lincoln".
Autry revived his Melody Ranch show as a tv program for 5 years in 1965 and Johnny Bond stayed onboard as well, meanwhile The Starday label issued some 14 Johnny Bond titles between 1960 and 1971.
Bond's and his backing group The Red River Valley Boys were also well-known for doing double duty as Tex Ritter’s studio band. Members included Jimmy Wakely (popular vocalist and student of Gene Autry), Noel Boggs (pedal steel giant who played with Bob Wills and Spade Cooley), Wesley Tuttle (guitar player with the likes of Merle Travis and Ernest Tubb) and Paul Sells (accordion, organ and honky tonk piano player extraordinaire).
Stars of the Midnight Range
Johnny Bond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shining through the night
Stars of the midnight ranges
Light my way tonight
While my herd is grazin'
Guide them til the dawn
Watch them while I'm sleepin'
Till the stars are gone
Candles up in heaven
Lend your light so strange
Guide my weary dogies
Stars of the midnight range
The song 'Stars of the Midnight Range' by Johnny Bond is a beautiful ballad that speaks to the life of a cowboy. The song highlights the importance of the stars for guiding cowboys' herds through the night. It talks about how the stars provide a sense of direction and comfort in the midst of the darkness. In the song's context, the cowboys probably spend long hours watching their herds during the night, but they do not have to worry because the stars would always be there, shining bright in the heavens.
The song's poetic lyrics appeal to the listener's emotions, evoking a sense of nostalgia, gratitude, and love for the stars. The phrase 'Stars of the midnight ranges' is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing their significance to the cowboy's world. In the line "Candles up in heaven/Lend your light so strange," the stars are likened to candles in heaven, providing light to the cowboy's path, leading his dogies home.
Overall, 'Stars of the Midnight Range' is a beautiful tribute to cowboys and their way of life. It speaks to the timeless bond between a cowboy and his herd and the natural world around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Stars of the midnight ranges
The bright stars shining during the night
Shining through the night
Gleaming in the darkness of the night
Stars of the midnight ranges
The brilliant stars that illuminate my path tonight
Light my way tonight
Illuminate my way in the dark of the night
While my herd is grazin'
When my cattle are eating grass in the meadows
Guide them til the dawn
Direct them until the sun breaks the darkness
Watch them while I'm sleepin'
Keep an eye on them while I am asleep
Till the stars are gone
Until sunrise when the stars disappear
Candles up in heaven
Stars high up in the sky like lit candles
Lend your light so strange
Provide your unique light to show the way
Guide my weary dogies
Direct and lead my tired cattle
Stars of the midnight range
The luminous stars of the dark countryside
Contributed by Addison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Baron_Lio
Such a good recording, thanks for sharing and keeping up with the oldies!
@ralphbrennan7700
We remember this one, Johnny Bond!
@AveCruxSpesUnica
Such a soothing song
@JaySmurdaThyScrubGod
Groovy baby! Fallout New Vegas is the most rad game I've played on the PS3 and these type of songs are so good.
@user-vf6km4sf2r
Play it on PC it’s amazing
@JaySmurdaThyScrubGod
@A wish no money to buy one I bought a Ps5 and it sucks because it keeps turning off when i play Ps5 games lol.
@zenzero12345
Ah yes the most RAD game.
@JaySmurdaThyScrubGod
@@MichaelModich yes fellow vault dweller.
@Jared60minuteman
Xbox one series x also has it.
@user-dz2oq8od8y
Best country song. Pretty sure we all found it through fallout tho lmao