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.
Ridin Down The Canyon
Sons Of The Pioneers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all I have got to do is lay around
I saddle up my pony and go ridin' down the trail
To watch the desert sun go down
Ridin' down the canyon to watch the sun go down
A picture that no artist 'ere could paint
White faced cattle lowing on the mountain side
Cactus plants are blooming, sage brush everywhere
Granite spires are standing all around
I tell you folks it's heaven to be riding down the trail
When the desert sun goes down
The lyrics of Sons Of The Pioneers' song "Ridin' Down The Canyon" depict the simple life of a cowboy who enjoys the simple pleasures of ranch life. The song starts with the singer stating that whenever he's done with his chores for the day, he takes his horse out for a ride. He rides aimlessly until sunset, observing the scenery around him as the sun sets, painting a beautiful picture of the mountains and the cattle grazing on its side. The song describes how the singer enjoys the coyote's lonely call in the background, the blooming cacti and the sage brush surrounding him, and the granite spires that dominate the landscape. The singer states that for him, riding down the trail is a taste of heaven, especially when the desert sun sets.
The song portrays the cowboy lifestyle and depicts the beauty of the natural world. It is also a reflection of the importance of nature to the cowboy way of life. The wandering and simple nature of the cowboy's life is reflected in the lyrical content of the song. The singer has no real destination, just riding for the sake of it, enjoying the cool and calming winds against his face, and being at one with nature.
Line by Line Meaning
When evening chores are over at our ranch house on the plains
After finishing the daily work at the ranch house situated in the grassy fields
And all I have got to do is lay around
With no work scheduled ahead, I take rest
I saddle up my pony and go ridin' down the trail
I ride my horse towards the path
To watch the desert sun go down
To witness the sunset on the barren land
Ridin' down the canyon to watch the sun go down
Riding through the canyon to perceive the sunset
A picture that no artist 'ere could paint
The scene is so beautiful that it's beyond any artist's ability to depict
White faced cattle lowing on the mountain side
The mountain encompasses cattle with light-colored faces, moo-ing lightly
I hear a coyote whining for its mate
In the background, a coyote's whimpering could be heard asking for its companion
Cactus plants are blooming, sage brush everywhere
All around are flowering cacti and bushy sage plants
Granite spires are standing all around
The grand towers of granite, towering over us, surround us from all directions
I tell you folks it's heaven to be riding down the trail
I assure you, being on this trail is nothing short of a heavenly experience
When the desert sun goes down
Particularly during the sunset
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GENE AUTRY, SMILEY BURNETTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill Akins
on The Devil's Great Grandson
"The Devil's Great Grandson" (Lyrics)
Recorded by Roy Rogers & The Son's Of The Pioneers
(Lyrics submitted by Bill Akins)
(The Devil's Great Grandson performed by the Sons Of The Pioneers and written by Bob Nolan. The tune was recorded in Los Angeles on December 14, 1937 and the group at that time was Roy Rogers, Bob Nolan, Lloyd Perryman and the Farr brothers.)
Old Skyball Paint was the devil's saint
His eyes were a fiery red
Good men have tried this horse to ride
And all of them are dead
Now I won't brag but I rode this nag
Till his blood began to boil
Then I hit the ground and ate three pound
Of good old western soil
Singin' Hi-ho lad don't you make me mad
I'm the devil's great grandson
And I'm doin' my best to tame the west
With my great big forty-four gun
(Light group harmony yodel)
I swore by heck
I'd break his neck for the jolt he gave my pride
I threw my noose on that old cayuse and once more took a ride
He turned around and soon
I found his tail where his head should be
So says says I Perhaps he's shy or he just don't care for me
Singin' Hi-ho lad don't you make me mad
I'm the devil's great grandson
And I'm doin' my best to tame the west
With my great big forty-four gun
(Only Roy Rogers STRONG yodeling, group harmony humming and ahhing along)
In town you see just to have a spree when
I meets old Sheriff Jim
With fistic fun and my big six-gun
I buys the town from him
For a whoop and a holler and a counterfeit dollar
Then I ask for a bill of sale
But my face turned red when the contract said just thirty days in jail
Singin' Hi-ho lad don't you make me mad
I'm the devil's great grandson
And I'm doin' my best to tame the west
With my great big forty-four gun
(Light group harmony yodel again)
Where the greasewood bats wear
Stetson hats and the bad men all run free
Where they sold the jail at a bargain sale
That's the land for me
Where the desert ants wear buckskin pants and help me rule the land
With the ants and the bats and my two gats
I'll rule with an iron hand
Singin' Hi-ho lad don't you make me mad
I'm the devil's great grandson
And I'm doin' my best to tame the west
With my great big forty-four gun
(Only Roy Rogers STRONG yodeling, group harmony humming and ahhing along)