Jessie the Yodelin' Cowgirl
Riders in the Sky Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was born in Oklahoma in the rolling Osage hills
And I rode my pinto pony at full gallop for my thrills
And a song of joy and gladness bubbled upwards from my heart
And burst forthin' merry music, that's how yodeling got its start
They call her Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl
As dainty as a fairy, princess of the prairie
Yes she's Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl
From dawn to dusk dawn
'Cause she's Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl

So I move to Californie and became a tee-vee star
The broadcast waves and beams and rays cast yodelin' near and far
My yodelin' swept the country, an epidemic that all caught us
And now everybody knows me as the Epiglottis Goddess!

They call her Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl
Ad dainty as a fairy, princess of the prairie
Yes she's Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl
I ride along and yodel a song
From dawn to dusk to dawn
'Cause she's Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl

They call me Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl

Yes she's Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl
I ride along and yodel a song




From dawn to dusk to dawn
'Cause she's Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl

Overall Meaning

The song "Jessie the Yodelin' Cowgirl" by Riders In The Sky is a tribute to the classic Western cowgirl, Jessie. In the first few lines of the song, Jessie introduces herself as a cowgirl from the Osage hills in Oklahoma. She expresses her love for riding her pinto pony at full gallop and singing in joyful exhilaration. The song emphasizes how yodeling became Jessie's signature style of singing, as the melodies would burst from her heart and into the world.


Jessie moves to California and becomes a television star, with her yodeling talent capturing the hearts of many. Her yodeling sweeps the country, and soon she is known as the "Epiglottis Goddess", a name that highlights her mastery of the yodeling technique. The song portrays Jessie as a glamorous and dainty fairy of the prairie, yet a fearless and capable cowgirl who rides and sings from dawn to dusk.


Line by Line Meaning

I was born in Oklahoma in the rolling Osage hills
Jessie was born in Oklahoma and enjoyed riding her pinto pony at full gallop in the Osage hills.


And a song of joy and gladness bubbled upwards from my heart
Jessie was so happy riding her pony that she began yodeling with joy.


And burst forthin' merry music, that's how yodeling got its start
Jessie's yodeling began as a spontaneous expression of her happiness while riding her pony.


They call her Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl
Jessie is known as the Yodelin' Cowgirl.


As dainty as a fairy, princess of the prairie
Jessie is a graceful and beautiful cowgirl who captures the spirit of the prairie.


So I moved to Californie and became a tee-vee star
Jessie moved to California and became a television star.


My yodelin' swept the country, an epidemic that all caught us
Jessie's yodeling became very popular and infectious across the country.


And now everybody knows me as the Epiglottis Goddess!
Jessie is now known as the Epiglottis Goddess due to her exceptional yodeling technique.


I ride along and yodel a song from dawn to dusk to dawn
Jessie loves to yodel while riding her horse all day long.


They call me Jessie, the Yodelin' Cowgirl
Jessie is known as the Yodelin' Cowgirl.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DOUGLAS GREEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions