Oregon
W. C. Lindsay Lyrics

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(C.W. McCall, B. Fries, C. Davis)

Did you see me at Westport Landing
On the wide Missouri shore?
Did you hear the west wind calling
In the spring of forty-four?

[Chorus]

If the mud don't stay and the cattle don't stray
We can make Fort Kearny by the middle of May
If the mud don't stay and the cattle don't stray
We can make Fort Kearny by the middle of May

Did you see me at old Fort Kearny?
Did you hear my trumpets blow?
Did you write your name in stone, boys
On the great Platte River road?

[Chorus]
If the wolf don't howl in the dark of the moon
We can make Scotts Bluff by the middle of June
If the wolf don't howl in the dark of the moon
We can make Scotts Bluff by the middle of June

Did you see that endless prairie
Blowin' clean and pure and free?
Did you hear that rollin' thunder
On the wild Nebraska sea?

Did you climb the shining mountains?
Did you cross that Great Divide?
Did you pray to God Almighty
To let you down the other side?

[Chorus, but only by C.W.]
Roll wagons, rollin' rollin'
Roll wagons, rollin' home
Roll wagons, rollin' rollin'
Roll wagons, rollin' home

Did you see me out on the desert?
Did you see my oxen die?
Did you find a drop of water?
Did you hear my children cry?

[Chorus]
If the sun don't shine and the river don't rise
We can make South Pass by the fourth of July
If the sun don't shine and the river don't rise
We can make South Pass by the fourth of July

Did you see the high Sierra
Far beyond the burning sand?
Did you find that golden valley?
Did you reach the Promised Land?

[Chorus]
If the snow don't fly and the river don't dry
We can make that valley before we die

If the snow don't fly and the river don't dry
We can make that valley before we die

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Oregon" by W. C. Lindsay are a homage to the pioneers who embarked on the Oregon Trail, a 2,170-mile historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The song reminisces about the journey from Westport Landing on the Missouri shore to the Promised Land in the high Sierra. Throughout the song, the singer addresses the listener with a series of questions, asking whether they have seen or heard particular landmarks or experiences.

The lyrics are a reflection on the journey of the pioneers and their struggle to make it to Oregon. The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, reflects the difficulties and uncertainties of the journey; if the mud doesn't stay, the cattle don't stray, the wolf doesn't howl, the sun doesn't shine, and the river doesn't rise, they can make it to their destination on time. The song speaks to the grit and resilience of the pioneers who were willing to face the unknown and the harsh conditions that came with the journey.

Overall, "Oregon" is a powerful tribute to the pioneers who endured tremendous hardship on a journey of hope and new beginnings. The lyrics evoke the beauty and majesty of the American frontier while honoring the tenacity and perseverance of the people who made it their home.

Line by Line Meaning

Did you see me at Westport Landing On the wide Missouri shore?
Have you witnessed me at Westport Landing by the Missouri river?

Did you hear the west wind calling In the spring of forty-four?
Did you experience the spring of forty-four when the west winds called?

If the mud don't stay and the cattle don't stray We can make Fort Kearny by the middle of May If the mud don't stay and the cattle don't stray We can make Fort Kearny by the middle of May
If we don't encounter setbacks we can reach Fort Kearny by May.

Did you see me at old Fort Kearny? Did you hear my trumpets blow? Did you write your name in stone, boys On the great Platte River road?
Did you witness me at Fort Kearny, where my trumpets echoed? Did you inscribe your name on the Platte River road?

If the wolf don't howl in the dark of the moon We can make Scotts Bluff by the middle of June If the wolf don't howl in the dark of the moon We can make Scotts Bluff by the middle of June
If we can avoid being slowed down by wolves, we can reach Scotts Bluff by June.

Did you see that endless prairie Blowin' clean and pure and free? Did you hear that rollin' thunder On the wild Nebraska sea?
Have you seen the free and pure prairie? Have you heard the roaring noise of Nebraska's seas?

Did you climb the shining mountains? Did you cross that Great Divide? Did you pray to God Almighty To let you down the other side?
Have you climbed the gleaming mountains and crossed great divides? Did you pray to God to help you descend the other side?

Roll wagons, rollin' rollin' Roll wagons, rollin' home Roll wagons, rollin' rollin' Roll wagons, rollin' home
Roll wagons, keep moving along, heading back home.

Did you see me out on the desert? Did you see my oxen die? Did you find a drop of water? Did you hear my children cry?
Have you seen me in the desert or witnessed the death of my oxen, children's cries, or our desperate need of water?

If the sun don't shine and the river don't rise We can make South Pass by the fourth of July If the sun don't shine and the river don't rise We can make South Pass by the fourth of July
If we face no compounding obstacles like drought or flooding, we can reach South Pass by July fourth.

Did you see the high Sierra Far beyond the burning sand? Did you find that golden valley? Did you reach the Promised Land?
Have you perceived the grandeur of the high Sierra beyond the burning sand? Did you attain the golden valley and the land of promise?

If the snow don't fly and the river don't dry We can make that valley before we die If the snow don't fly and the river don't dry We can make that valley before we die
If no serious problems like snowfall, and the river's slow down occur, we can reach the valley before we die.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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