If you want to hear the song, get Art's album. As a bonus you get 12 other good songs and if you get the LP you get two (I say two) large pictures of the grinning countenance of Art probably conjuring up his next pun. So you have plenty to choose from, I add three other text versions of the song. The first two are printed in "Cowboy and Western Songs" by Austin E and Alta S Fife. The third one I transcribed from a recording by none other than The Kingston Trio. The K3 version originally appeared on the rather forgetable Decca album "Something Else". The song was reissued on CD in 1996 by Folk Era Records (FE 6017). That CD is really a reissue of the K3 album "Children of the Morning" with four extra tracks taken from the "Something Else" album. Even Folk Era did not consider "Something Else" worthy of reissue in its entirety. So pick the verses and lines you like best.

A. At the foot of yon mountain where the fountain doth flow,
The greatest creation, where the soft wind doth blow,
There lived a fair maiden; she's the one I adore,
She's the one I would marry on Red River shore.

I spoke to her kindly, saying "Will you marry me?"
My fortune's not great" - "No matter," said she.
"Your beauty's a plenty, you're the one I adore,
You're the one I would marry on Red River shore."

I asked her old father would he give her to me.
"No sir, she shan't marry no cowboy," said he.
So I jumped on my bronco and away I did ride,
And left my true love on Red River side.

She wrote me a letter, and she wrote it so kind,
And in this letter these words you could find:
"Come back to me, darling, you're the one I adore,
You're the one I would marry on Red River shore."

So I jumped on my bronco and away I did ride
To marry my true love on the Red River side.
But her father the secret had learned,
And gathered an army of twenty and four,
To fight this young cowboy on the Red River shore.

I drew my six shooter, shooting round after round,
Till six men were wounded and seven were down.
No use of an army of twenty and four.
I'm bound for my true love on Red River shore.

B. At the foot of yonder mountain where often lay snow,
Amusements containing, while a pleasant wind blows.
I spied a fair damsel and she I adore,
She was a-walking on the New River shore.

Says I, "Pretty fair miss, can you fancy me?
My fortune's not great" - "That's nothing," said she.
Your beauty is enough and you I adore,
And you I will marry on the New River shore.

As soon as her old father came this for to hear,
He swore he would part her from her dearest dear;
He sent her away where loud cannons did roar,
And left this young man on the New River shore.

She wrote him a letter containing these lines,
"If you'll look in the letter, these words you will find.
I'll come back again and you I adore,
And you I will marry on the New River shore."

As soon as her old father came this news to hear,
He still vowed he'd part her from her dearest dear,
He gathered a company of twenty or more,
To fight this young man on the New River shore.

He drew his broad sword and he waved it around,
Until seven out of twenty lay dead on the ground;
He wounded five more and wounded them full sore.
Thus gained his true love on the New River shore.

C. At the foot of yon mountain where the big river flows,
There's a fond creation and a soft wind that blows,
There lives a fiar maiden, she's the one I adore.
She's the one I would marry on the Red River shore.

She wrote me a letter, and she wrote it so kind.
And in that letter, these words you will find.
"Come back to me, darling, you're the one I adore.
You're the one I will marry on the Red River shore.

So I jumped on my bronco and away I did ride,
To marry my true love on the Red river side.
But her pa knew the secret, and with twenty and four,
Come to fight this young cowboy on the Red River shore.

I grabbed my six-shooter, spun round and around,
Till six men were wounded and seven were down;
I can't fight an army of twenty and four,
When I'm bound for my true love on the Red River shore.

At the foot of yon mountain where the big river flows,
There's a fond creation and a soft wind that blows,
There lives a fiar maiden, she's the one I adore.
But never will marry on the Red River shore.

rich r