“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.
During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.
They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.
They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."
After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.
After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.
Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.
Rancho Pillow
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ay-yaaaay I do.
I count my sheep on rancho pillow
While rounding up a dream or two.
Half way between old Amarillo
And heavens blue.
I lay me down in rancho pillow
While twinkling stars play peek-a-boo.
don't you understand man
This here cow hand man.
is a sleepy buckaroo.
and how I love my rancho pillow
Ay-yaaaay I do.
For there are cowboys keep hopin'
That he'll soon be ropin'
A dream that will one day come true.
caaay-yee-peee (Yeeee!)
caaay-yee-peee (Yaaaa!)
cay-caay-yee-pee
(tu-dat-dat-da-da
ta-dah-ra-rah
ra-ra-ra-rah)
Oh how I love my rancho Pillow
Ay-yaaaay ya-ya-ya-ya-yay.
I count my sheep on rancho pillow
While rounding up a dream or two.
(Ay-yaay-yay-yay)
Half way between old Amarillo
And heaven bloooo.
I lay me down in rancho pillow
While twinkling stars play peek-a-boo.
Ad-lib: (syncopated instrumental)
And how I will like my rancho pillow tonight
Ay-yay da da da da da.
Ay-yaay I do.
For there are cowboys keep hopin'
Someday that he'll soon be ropin'
A dream that will someday come true.
Rancho Pilloooow
Where a cowboy keeps hopin'
that he'll soon be ropin'.
A dream that will one day come true (Ha-huah)
A dream that will one day come true (Ha-ha-huh)
A dream that will one day come true
(bong!)
The Andrews Sisters' song "Rancho Pillow" speaks about the love and appreciation for the quiet ranch lifestyle of a cowboy. The lyrics describe a sense of peace and comfort in the midst of the vast emptiness of the desert. The singer expresses her admiration for her ranch named "Rancho Pillow," where she can count her sheep and chase after her dreams without any distractions. The ranch location is described as halfway between the old town of Amarillo and the blue heavens above, highlighting the simplicity and transcendent freedom that the ranch provides. The singer also acknowledges her cowboy roots by referring to herself as a sleepy buckaroo that longs for the day when their dream of becoming a successful cowboy will come true.
The song successfully captures the essence of the American West's romanticized cowboys and ranch life. Taking a deeper look into the lyrics, the theme of longing and hope stands out. The dream of one day becoming successful and living the happy ranch life is what keeps the "cowboy" going through life. The peaceful and content lifestyle of a ranch is well-reflected in the song's rhythm and melody, which is slow-paced, soulful, and soothing.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh how I love my rancho Pillow
Expressing deep affection towards her place of rest, the Rancho Pillow.
Ay-yaaaay I do.
Re-iteration of the previous statement in a joyful tune.
I count my sheep on rancho pillow
Engaging in sleep by counting sheep in the Rancho Pillow.
While rounding up a dream or two.
Attempting to manifest dreams into reality, while at rest in the Rancho Pillow.
Half way between old Amarillo
The Rancho Pillow is situated at a geographical point that is midway between Amarillo and infinity that is symbolically referred to as 'Heaven's Blue' (beyond the sky).
And heavens blue.
Heavenly destination lying beyond normal human perception.
I lay me down in rancho pillow
Relaxation in the comfort of the Rancho Pillow.
While twinkling stars play peek-a-boo.
Observed through half-closed eyes, stars appear to play peek-a-boo as they twinkle.
Yip along you sandman
Instructing the imaginary character of the Sandman, to proceed with his duty of inducing sleep.
don't you understand man
Elevating Sandman to a status of respect.
This here cow hand man.
Reference to the singer herself, equating herself to a cowboy.
is a sleepy buckaroo.
The artist admits that she is tired and is 'sleepy'.
For there are cowboys keep hopin'
Describing the aspirations of 'cowboys' in general.
That he'll soon be ropin'
Hope and desire to achieve a particular goal.
A dream that will one day come true.
Faith in eventual success of the cowboy's dream.
caaay-yee-peee (Yeeee!)
Loud vocalization in joy and excitement.
caaay-yee-peee (Yaaaa!)
Another vocalization in joy.
cay-caay-yee-pee
Vocalized sounds symbolizing indescribable emotions.
(tu-dat-dat-da-da
Vocalization of percussive sounds that imitate instrumentals.
ta-dah-ra-rah
Another percussive vocalization imitating instrumentals.
ra-ra-ra-rah)
An extension of the previous vocalization.
Ad-lib: (syncopated instrumental)
Expressive improvisation that does not follow the main vocals and lyrics, but complements it. This can be heard as instrumental music in the song.
And how I will like my rancho pillow tonight
Anticipation of a comfortable rest in the Rancho Pillow on this particular night.
Ay-yay da da da da da.
A joyful tune expressing the artist's excitement about the forthcoming sleeping experience.
Someday that he'll soon be ropin'
Reiteration of the previous lines, with the hope that the cowboy's dreams will come true someday.
Rancho Pilloooow
Repetition of the title and reference to the place of rest.
Where a cowboy keeps hopin'
Reiteration of the aspirations of cowboys in general.
that he'll soon be ropin'.
Hope that the cowboy's desires will materialize in the near future.
A dream that will one day come true (Ha-huah)
Reiteration of the faith in the eventual success of the cowboy's dream.
A dream that will one day come true (Ha-ha-huh)
Reiteration of the previous line with variations in tonality.
A dream that will one day come true
Reiteration of the faith in the eventual success of the cowboy's dream. Concluding the song with a percussive and expressive instrumental sound.
Writer(s): A. Wrubel, C. Newman
Contributed by Victoria D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
george Cripe
Did this song come from a movie that The Andrews Sisters were in?