THE OLD CHISHOLM TRAIL
TRADITIONAL
Oh come along, boys, and listen to my tale,
I`ll tell you all my troubles on the ol` Chisholm trail.
(chorus)
Come a-ti yi youpy youpy yea youpy yea
Come a-ti yi youpy youpy yea
On a ten dollar horse and a forty dollar saddle,
I was ridin`, and a punchin` Texas cattle.
We left ol` Texas October twenty-third
Drivin` up the trail with the U-2 herd.
I`m up in the morning before daylight,
And before I sleep the moon shine bright.
It`s bacon and beans most every day,
I`d just as soon be eating prairie hay.
I woke up one morning on the Chisholm trail,
With a rope in my hand and a cow by the tail,
Last night on guard, and the leader broke the ranks,
I hit my horse down the shoulders and spurred him in the flanks.
Oh, it`s cloudy in the west, and a lookin` like rain,
And my darned old slicker`s in the wagon again.
Oh the wind commenced to blow and the rain began to fall,
And it looked by grab that we was gonna lose `em all.
I jumped in the saddle an` I grabbed a-hold the horn,
The best damned cowpuncher ever was born.
I was on my best horse, and a going on the run,
The quickest shootin` cowboy that ever pulled a gun.
No chaps, no slicker, and it`s pouring down rain,
And I swear, by God, I`ll never night herd again.
I herded and I hollered, and I done pretty well,
Till the boss said, "Boys, just let `em go to Hell."
I`m going to the ranch to draw my money,
Goin` into town to see my honey.
I went to the boss to get my roll,
He figured me out nine dollars in the hole.
So I`ll sell my outfit as fast as I can,
And I won`t punch cows for no damn man.
So I sold old baldy and I hung up my saddle,
And I bid farewell to the longhorn cattle.
