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.
Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Sons Of The Pioneers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pledging their love to the ground!
Lonely, but free, I'll be found
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds
Cares of the past are behind
Nowhere to go, but I'll find
Just where the trail will wind
I know when night has gone
That a new world's born at dawn!
I'll keep rolling along
Deep in my heart is a song
Here on the range I belong
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds
I know when night has gone
That a new world's born at dawn!
I'll keep rolling along
Deep in my heart is a song
Here on the range I belong
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds
The first verse of Sons of the Pioneers' Tumbling Tumbleweeds speaks of the beauty of the natural world, as the singer observes the tumbleweeds rolling across the ground, pledging their love to the earth. The loneliness of the singer is highlighted, but it is also clear that he or she is free to roam, and will do so along with the tumbling tumbleweeds, drifting through life without a care in the world.
The second verse suggests that the singer has left the cares of the past behind, and while there is nowhere in particular to go, he or she will follow the winding trail wherever it may lead. The tumbling tumbleweeds serve as a reminder of the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world, and the singer finds peace in this.
The final verse is perhaps the most uplifting, as the singer looks forward to a new dawn and the promise of a fresh start. The rolling along that the singer has been doing takes on a more joyful tone, as the heart is filled with song and the sense of belonging on the open range is strong. The tumbling tumbleweeds continue to serve as a symbol of freedom, unpredictability, and the beauty of nature.
Line by Line Meaning
See them tumbling down
Watching the tumbleweeds roll and fall
Pledging their love to the ground!
The way the tumbleweeds tumble and fall show their devotion to the earth
Lonely, but free, I'll be found
Even though I may be alone, I am free and at peace
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds
Flowing and moving like the tumbleweeds
Cares of the past are behind
Leaving behind worries and troubles from the past
Nowhere to go, but I'll find
Even though I may not know where I am headed, I will find my way
Just where the trail will wind
Following the path as it twists and turns
Drifting along with the tumblin' tumbleweeds
Continuing to move forward like the tumbleweeds
I know when night has gone
With the passing of each night
That a new world's born at dawn!
A new world is created with each new day
I'll keep rolling along
I will keep moving forward
Deep in my heart is a song
I have a melody in my heart
Here on the range I belong
I belong here on the open range
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds
Continuing to move forward like the tumbleweeds
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BOB NOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dannymac7657
My soon to be 95-year-old mother sang this along with her seven sisters growing up during the depression down in the hot desert of Yuma and imperial California. We're going to sing it at her 95th birthday Saturday.
Probably bring a tear to All our Eyes ❤
@IDiggSocialMedia
A member of my parish church turned 95 around the time of your mother's birthday!!!
@skychuter
My Dad had heart bypass surgery years ago and its said when they wheeled him into the OR he was singing Tumbling Tumbleweeds... with him having grown up on the farm in Eastern NC, I understood his love for cowboy songs!
@Tipledan
Bob Nolan, Ken Curtis, Roy and the others left us with songs that are unforgetable.
@carsonlloyd5636
When I was a wee boy my dad used to play his guitar and sing this song for me. It was my favourite as I always asked him “play the tumbleweeds dad”. I miss my Pa.
@johncollier1405
My sister and I would listen to this record, on our little record player it was a 45 Decca records recording I think,so long ago,I love to listen to these songs I grew up with when things and people were normal, now...
All i can say is thank God for the old music,it keeps me sane in this insane world.
@uwantsun
Amen.
@sub4228
Love this song and Sons of the Pioneers
@MsCatreona
Such a lovely song and lovely recording.
@gdsandkes
Had this song stuck in my head on my road trip to Savannah yesterday, so had to come here and listen to the original.