Ghost Riders In The Sky
Laine Frankie Lyrics

An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day,
One day, an aged cowboy ventured out when the weather was gloomy and stormy.

Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way,
While traveling, he would stop to rest on a hilltop.

When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw,
Suddenly, he came across a gigantic group of bloodshot-eyed cows.

A-plowin' through the ragged skies
These strange cows were flying through the rough and uneven clouds.

And up a cloudy draw.
They were moving towards a hazy ravine.

Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o,
A cowboy exclamation expressing excitement and enthusiasm.

The ghost herd in the sky.
These creatures were a mystical herd of cows that can only be seen by cowboys that have passed away.

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves was made of steel,
These cows’ hooves were unbreakable and their skin had smokes coming out.

Their horns wuz black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel,
The livestock's horns were polished black and glimmering, and their breath was hot on the cowboy's skin.

A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky,
As they sprinted through the heavens, the cowboy was struck by a jolt of panic.

For he saw the riders comin' hard
The cowboy noticed the ghost cowboys were coming fast towards him.

And he heard their mournful cry.
They were making wistful noise, as if calling for something or someone they have lost.

They're ridin' hard to catch that herd but they ain't caught them yet
The cowboy noticed that the ghost riders were attempting to capture the strange flying cows, but they hadn’t been able to do so yet.

Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky,
These cowboys would have to gallop across the vast sky for eternity.

On horses snortin' fire
The horse’s breath seemed to have flames coming out of it.

As they ride on, hear their cry.
As they advanced, the cowboy could hear them crying and lamenting their fate.

If you want to save your soul from hell a-riding on our range,
One of the ghost cowboys directly addressed the cowboy, warning him of the consequences of not changing his ways.

Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
If the cowboy didn't improve his lifestyle, he would be cursed to join the ghost cowboys in their endless chase.

A-try'ng to catch the devil's herd
He'd be trying to capture the devil's livestock.

Across these endless skies.
He'd be doing so for all of eternity, traversing the limitless skies.

Ghost riders in the sky.
The song's repeating phrase, referring to the celestial cowboys and cows.