The Sons of the Pioneers did several songs for the John Ford movies Wagon Master (in 1949) and Rio Grande in (1950).
The six members who made the Sons of the Pioneers famous in the late 1930s with their close-harmonied western style music were elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1995, they were inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
In 1977, the Smithsonian designated the Sons of the Pioneers as "national treasures". Through many changes to the line-up, the Sons of the Pioneers have continued to perform.
Nellie's Blue Eyes
Sons Of The Pioneers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It would've been better for us had we never
In this wide wicked world had ever met
For the pleasures we've both seen together
I am sure love I'll never forget.
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of him only
And I wonder if he ever thinks of me.
Oh, you told me once dear that you loved me
And you said that we never would part
But a link in the chain has been broken
Leaving me with a sad and aching heart.
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
Who is sailing far over the sea
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of him only
And I wonder if he ever thinks of me.
When the cold cold grave shall enclose me
Will you come dear and shed just one tear
And say to the strangers around dear
A poor heart you have broken lies here.
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
Who is sailing far over the sea
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of him only
And I wonder if he ever thinks of me.
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
Who is sailing far over the sea
Oh, I'm thinking tonight of him only
And I wonder if he ever thinks of me...
The Sons of the Pioneers' song "I'm an Old Cowhand" is a honky-tonk classic that celebrates the cowboy lifestyle. The first verse, sung by lead vocalist Roy Rogers, goes: "I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande / And I learned to ride 'fore I learned to stand." The song then shifts to a chorus of cowboys proclaiming their love for the lifestyle, singing "Yippie yi yo kayah" as a rallying cry.
The song is filled with humorous lyrics and playful jabs at the cowboy trope. The second verse, sung by Ken Curtis, describes how the cowboys "know all the songs that the cowboys know / 'Bout the big corral where the doggies go / We learned them all on the radio." The last verse, sung by Bob Nolan, even takes a satirical shot at the Wild West shows popular at the time, with references to "where the buffalo roam around the zoo / and the Injuns run up a rug or two / and the old Bar X is just a barbecue."
Despite the light-heartedness of the song, "I'm an Old Cowhand" became a staple of the Western genre and has been covered by countless artists over the years. It's a celebration of the cowboy lifestyle and the enduring myths and legends of the Old West.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
I am an experienced cowboy from the Rio Grande area
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tan
However, my legs are not bent and my cheeks are not tan as expected for a cowboy
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Even though I am a cowboy, I have never seen a cow
Never roped a steer cause I don't know how
I have never roped a steer and I do not know how to do it
Sure ain't a fixin to start in now
And I'm not planning on starting to learn now
Yippie yi yo kayah
A cowboy yell
I'm an old cowhand and I come down from the Rio Grande
I am an experienced cowboy who originates from the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride, ride, ride 'fore I learned to stand
I learned to ride my horse before I could even stand on my own
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I am a skilled cowboy who knows the latest techniques
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
I am familiar with every trail in the Lone Star State
Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Because I use a Ford V-8 to ride the range
We're old cowhands from the Rio Grande
We are experienced cowboys from the Rio Grande area
And we come to town just to hear the band
We travel to town just to hear the music
We know all the songs that the cowboys know
We are familiar with all the songs known by cowboys
'Bout the big corral where the doggies go
About the large corral that is reserved for cattle
We learned them all on the radio
We learned all those songs by listening to them on the radio
Oh yes, Mr. Bing
A reference to Bing Crosby, a popular singer
Too hot for you, Uncle Fudd?
A playful remark, possibly directed at Elmer Fudd
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
A reference to the popular song Home on the Range
and the Injuns run up a rug or two
A reference to Native Americans who dance in their cultural costume
and the old Bar X is just a barbecue, yeah
A reference to a former cattle ranch that has been turned into a barbecue restaurant
I'm a pioneer who began from scratch
I am a pioneer who constructed something from nothing
I don't bat an eye in a shootin' match
I show no fear in a shooting contest
They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch
I have a nickname, Satch, instead of Elmer
Get along little horsy
A phrase encouraging the horse to move forward
Yippie yi yo kayah, oh!
A western-style yell
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jo H
You have the best music. I appreciate being able to find it on YouTube.
Kay Biskerow
Solos, by my ear...
Bob Nolan on 1, 4, 5, 6, 12
Roy Rogers on 3, 8, 11
Tim Spencer on 2, 10, 13
Tim and Bob both solo on 7
Carol Gibelyou
What a cool cowboy