Lyr Req: Buffalo Skinner (from Pete Seeger)

Subject: buffalo skinner,in the spring of 73
From: Rasta
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 12:02 PM

Im looking for the words to (buffalo skinner) I first leared from an old Pete Seeger recording --story songs a bakers dozen- I think its a Woody Guthrie tune --twas in the town of Jackboro in the spring of 73, a man by the name of creigo comming steppin up to me--

Subject: RE: buffalo skinner,in the spring of 73
From: Big Mick
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 12:52 PM

Hey Rastaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,

How have you been? Haven't seen you in these parts in a bit.

The lyrics are in the DT, I checked under "Buffalo" and then had to go to about the third or fourth page. CLICK HERE for the one I think you are looking for. This song only has about two chords in it, so it is all on the vocal interpretation as to how it will come off.

Take care, and stick around. We miss you when you are gone.

Mick

Subject: Lyr Add: BUFFALO SKINNER (from Woody Guthrie)
From: Dr John
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 01:08 PM

This is Woody's version. It's printed in Pete Seeger's book "American Favourite Ballads" but I think his version is slightly different.

Come all you old time cowboys and listen to my song,
Please do not grow weary, I'll not detain you long;
Concerning some wild cowboys who did agree to go
And spend the summer pleasant on the trail of the buffalo.

I found myself in Griffin in the spring of '83,
When a well known famous drover came walking up to me,
Saying, "How do you do young fellow and how would you like to go,
"And spend the summer pleasant on the trail of the buffalo."

Well, me being out of work right them to the drover I did say,
"This going out on the buffalo range depends upon your pay.
"But if you will pay good wages - transportation to and fro,
"I think I might go with you on the trail of the buffalo."

"Of course I'll pay good wages - give transportation too,
"If you'll agree to work for me until the season's through.
"But if you do get home sick and try to run away,
"You'll starve to death out on the trail and also lose your way."

"Well with all this flattering talking, he signed up quite a train,
Some ten or twelve in number, some able boddied men.
Our trip it was a pleasant one as we hit the westward road,
And crossed old Boggy Creek into old New Mexico.

There our pleasures ended and our troubles all began,
A lightening storm it hit us and made the cattle run.
Got all full of stickers from the cactus that did grow.
And the outlaws waiting to pick us off in the hill of Mexico.

Well, the working season ended and the drover would not pay.
"You all have drunk too much, you are all in debt to me."
But the cowboys had never heard such a thing as a bankrupt law.
So we left that drover's bones to bleach on the trail of the buffalo.

Line Breaks <br> added.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: buffalo skinner,in the spring of 73
From: Toledo Frank
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 01:14 AM

Jerry Silverman's Folk Song Encyclopedia Vol II had a long version with five chords and follows Woody Guthrie's version pretty close. Ramblin Jack and Cisco do great versions on their Vanguard recordings. I have an old cowboy version printed in a old paperback around 1940 and with a 1932 copyright by Paull-Pioneer Music Co., New York which is all in major chords and is you want I'll send it on.....

Subject: RE: buffalo skinner,in the spring of 73
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 02:07 AM

The Digital Tradition has two versions of this song, and a number of variants. A search for the Digital Tradition ID number of the song #377, will bring most of the songs, and a search for [buffalo skinners] in square brackets will bring up one or two others that missed getting coded. I'm wondering if the database has all the commonly-known tunes for this song. The two tunes I know are there.
The database has three versions of CANADA-I-O, which is almost the very same song in a different setting. I wonder which one came first.
-Joe Offer-