The Chis(h)olm Trail: Lyrics

Traditional

• LP Cowboy Ballads
• LP Frontiers

Foot in the stirrup and my hand on the horn
I'm the best darn cowboy ever was born

Chorus:
Singing ki yi yippee yippee yi yippeo
Singing ki yi yippee yippee yay

Well, I started up the trail October twenty-third
Started up the trail with a 2-U herd

Chorus:

Up every morning before daylight
And before I sleep the moon shines bright

Chorus:

With a ten dollar horse and a forty dollar saddle
I'm going down to Texas for to punch them cattle

Chorus:

Well old Ben Bolt was a fine old boss
And he went to see his gal on a sore-back hoss

Chorus:

There's a stray in the herd and boss said kill it
So I shot him in the rump with the handle of a skillet

Chorus:

And I went to the boss to draw my roll
And he had me figured out nine dollars in the hole

Chorus:

Ropin' and a-tyin' and a-brandin' all day
I'm a-working mighty hard for a-mighty little pay

Chorus:

Well I went to the boss and we had a little chat
And I hit him in the face with my old slouch hat

Chorus:

With my foot in the stirrup and my hand on the horn
I'm the best danged cowboy ever was born

Chorus:

Well I'm gonna get married just as quick as I can
And I won't punch cattle for no darn man

Chorus:

Of note:

The opening tune on one of Cisco's finest efforts, be brings the proper blend of jaunty good-humor and nonsense to a silly song. And the lyric "I'm a-working mighty hard for a-mighty little pay" sounds like one most of us could connect with. Apparently, as in many other things, Folkways was a bit casual about how Chisholm should be spelled. Done one way on Cowboy Ballads, another on Frontiers.

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